Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 90

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः । एतत्तव जलं वह्ने स्वेदजं सर्वदैव तु । स्थिरं भवतु चात्रैव विशुद्ध्यर्थं द्विजन्मनाम्

Transliteration

brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ | etattava jalaṃ vahne svedajaṃ sarvadaiva tu | sthiraṃ bhavatu cātraiva viśuddhyarthaṃ dvijanmanām

Translation

ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣମାନେ କହିଲେ—ହେ ଅଗ୍ନିଦେବ! ତୁମ ସ୍ୱେଦଜ ଏହି ଜଳ ସଦାକାଳ ଏଠି ହିଁ ସ୍ଥିର ରହୁ, ଦ୍ୱିଜମାନଙ୍କ ଶୁଦ୍ଧି ପାଇଁ।

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणाः: the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• वह्ने: O Fire (Agni)
• वह्ने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्वेदजम्: born of sweat
• स्वेदजम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sveda + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (svedāt jātaṃ = born from sweat)

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle of emphasis)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपात (contrastive/conjunctive particle)

• स्थिरम्: steady, firm
• स्थिरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Predicate qualifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• भवतु: let it be
• भवतु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Nipata (Conjunction/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphasis)

• विशुद्धि-अर्थम्: for purification
• विशुद्धि-अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśuddhi + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (viśuddhyai arthaḥ = for the sake of purification)

• द्विजन्मनाम्: of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजन्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvi + janman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); द्विगु/तत्पुरुष-समासार्थ (dvija = twice-born)

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas (assembly of dvijas)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Agni-sveda-jala tīrtha (Camatkārapura sambandha)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agni (Vahni)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of brāhmaṇas, hands folded, address Agni; beside them a shimmering pool/stream appears as ‘Agni’s sweat-water’, glowing with heat-haze and golden light, signifying permanent sanctification.

Characters & Entities

• Agni (Vahni)
• Brāhmaṇas (dvijanman)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred geography is created through divine presence; a tīrtha becomes a permanent means of purification for those who uphold dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A tīrtha where “Agni’s water” is established as a lasting purifier; the passage functions as the origin-story (utpatti) of that sacred water.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The request to keep the water permanently at the site for purification—implying regular snāna for dvijas.