Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

ज्ञातव्या सापि यत्नेन ब्राह्मणैः शुद्धि कर्मणि

Transliteration

jñātavyā sāpi yatnena brāhmaṇaiḥ śuddhi karmaṇi

Translation

ଶୁଦ୍ଧିକର୍ମରେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣମାନେ ତାହାକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଯତ୍ନପୂର୍ବକ ନିଶ୍ଚିତ କରିବା ଉଚିତ।

Word by Word

• ज्ञातव्या: to be known / should be known
• ज्ञातव्या: Karya/vidheya (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + तव्य (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (तव्यत्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (gerundive/passive necessity: “to be known”)

• सा: she/that (thing)
• सा: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थ (also/even)

• यत्नेन: with effort
• यत्नेन: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; साधन/प्रकार (by effort)

• ब्राह्मणैः: by Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणैः: Karta (Agent, in passive construction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; कर्तृ-सम्बन्ध (by Brahmins)

• शुद्धि: purification
• शुद्धि: Adhikarana (Locative domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद-भाव (in the matter of purification)

• कर्मणि: in the rite/action
• कर्मणि: Adhikarana (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (in the rite/action)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of brāhmaṇas conferring, one holding a water-pot and kuśa grass, another reading a record; their faces show focused diligence; the ritual space is prepared with cleanliness and order.

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇa
• śuddhi-karma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual acts should be performed with conscientious care; diligence is itself a form of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Brāhmaṇas conducting śuddhi-karma must diligently verify the relevant person(s) in the lineage.