Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

यावत्षोडशसंख्याश्च नान्यस्यैतद्धि युज्यते । त्वया शक्र सदा कार्या शुश्रूषा च द्विजन्मनाम्

Transliteration

yāvatṣoḍaśasaṃkhyāśca nānyasyaitaddhi yujyate | tvayā śakra sadā kāryā śuśrūṣā ca dvijanmanām

Translation

“ସେମାନେ ଷୋଳଜଣ ହେବେ; ଏହାଛଡ଼ା ଅନ୍ୟ ବ୍ୟବସ୍ଥା ଯୋଗ୍ୟ ନୁହେଁ। ହେ ଶକ୍ର, ତୁମେ ସଦା ଦ୍ୱିଜମାନଙ୍କ ସେବା-ଶୁଶ୍ରୂଷା କର।”

Word by Word

• यावत्: as many as / up to
• यावत्: Sambandha (Correlative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय/संबन्धशब्द)
• Form: अव्यय, परिमाण/सीमावाचक (correlative: as much as/upto)

• षोडशसंख्याः: (those) of number sixteen
• षोडशसंख्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣoḍaśa + saṃkhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षोडश इति संख्या यस्याः (determinative)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation)

• अन्यस्य: of another (person)
• अन्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Hetu/Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निश्चय/हेतु (particle)

• युज्यते: is fitting/appropriate
• युज्यते: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yuj (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karaṇa (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• शक्र: O Śakra (Indra)
• शक्र: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (adverb: always)

• कार्या: to be done / should be performed
• कार्या: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (predicative)

• शुश्रूषा: service, attendance
• शुश्रूषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śuśrūṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• द्विजन्मनाम्: of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजन्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvi + janman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; द्विजानां जन्म येषां ते (determinative: ‘twice-born’)

Speaker

Brahmā (continued instruction)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine ordinance is proclaimed: sixteen priests must officiate; Indra, addressed as Śakra, is instructed to serve them attentively.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Śakra)
• Dvija (twice-born)
• Ṛtvij
• Ṣoḍaśa (sixteen)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility before Dharma: even kings of heaven must serve sacred learning and those who uphold ritual truth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha’s eminence is suggested by the strict, classical yajña protocol observed there; the verse itself is not a place-name verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A sixteen-priest arrangement is mandated, and Indra is tasked with ongoing service to the priests.