Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

यजता देवदेवेन ब्रह्मणाऽमिततेजसा । यज्ञकामं चतुर्वक्त्रं ज्ञात्वा देवः शतक्रतुः

Transliteration

yajatā devadevena brahmaṇā'mitatejasā | yajñakāmaṃ caturvaktraṃ jñātvā devaḥ śatakratuḥ

Translation

यदा देवदेवोऽमिततेजाः चतुर्वक्त्रं ब्रह्माणं यज्ञं कुर्वन्तं ददर्श, तदा यज्ञसिद्धिकामं तं ज्ञात्वा शतक्रतुरिन्द्रोऽपि तदवधारयामास।

Word by Word

• yajatā: by the sacrificer; by one performing sacrifice
• yajatā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yaj (धातु) → yajant (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/करण), एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-सम्भाव्य; ‘यजता’ = ‘यजमान/यजनशील’ (by the sacrificer)

• devadevena: by the God of gods
• devadevena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva-deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां देवः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• brahmaṇā: by Brahmā
• brahmaṇā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• amitatejasā: of immeasurable splendor (by the one of immeasurable radiance)
• amitatejasā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amita-tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (अमितं तेजः यस्य/अमिततेजस्), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; ब्रह्मणः विशेषणम्

• yajñakāmam: desirous of a sacrifice
• yajñakāmam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yajña-kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (यज्ञस्य कामः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘चतुर्वक्त्रम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• caturvaktram: the four-faced one (Brahmā)
• caturvaktram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur-vaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु/तत्पुरुष-समास (चत्वारि वक्त्राणि यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ब्रह्माणम् (चतुर्मुखम्)

• jñātvā: having known
• jñātvā: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• devaḥ: the god
• devaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• śatakratuḥ: Śatakratu (Indra)
• śatakratuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata-kratu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शतं क्रतवो यस्य/शतक्रतुः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; इन्द्रस्य नाम

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā, four-faced and radiant, conducts a grand yajña; Indra observes and prepares to respond, with hints of a gathering of devas in the sacrificial arena.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Indra (Śatakratu)
• Yajña
• Caturvaktra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When a righteous rite is undertaken, divine forces align in support—cosmic order favors dharmic sacrifice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This is part of a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter; the precise location is not named in this single verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It indicates Brahmā’s performance of yajña; no specific procedural rule is stated beyond the act and intent.