Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

आवाहनपरित्यक्तं कार्यं पार्थिवसत्तम । तृप्तिप्रश्नस्तथा कार्यः स्वदितं च सकृत्ततः

Transliteration

āvāhanaparityaktaṃ kāryaṃ pārthivasattama | tṛptipraśnastathā kāryaḥ svaditaṃ ca sakṛttataḥ

Translation

அரசருள் சிறந்தவனே, முறையான ‘ஆவாஹனம்’ இன்றி இக்கருமம் செய்யப்பட வேண்டும். திருப்தி ஏற்பட்டதா எனக் கேட்க வேண்டும்; அதன் பின் பிரசாதம்/உணவை ஒருமுறை மட்டுமே சுவைக்க வேண்டும்.

Word by Word

• āvāhana: invocation
• āvāhana: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āvāhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रातिपदिकम् (समासाङ्ग)

• parityaktam: abandoned/omitted
• parityaktam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari√tyaj (धातु) (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; अर्थः ‘त्यक्तम्’

• kāryam: a rite to be done
• kāryam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक; √kṛ से यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• pārthiva: O king (earthly ruler)
• pārthiva: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण

• sattama: best among the good
• sattama: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sat + tama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयभावः (सतां तमः = श्रेष्ठः)

• tṛpti: satisfaction
• tṛpti: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रातिपदिकम् (समासाङ्ग)

• praśnaḥ: question/inquiry
• praśnaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praśna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• tathā: also/likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• kāryaḥ: should be done
• kāryaḥ: Kriya (Predicate complement/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषणम् (predicative adjective)

• svaditam: (food) tasted
• svaditam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su√ad (धातु) (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; अर्थः ‘स्वादितम्’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयबोधक-निपातः (conjunction)

• sakṛt: once
• sakṛt: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sakṛt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; काल/परिमाणवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb: once)

• tataḥ: thereafter/from that
• tataḥ: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय/तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अव्ययम्; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्तः (ablatival adverb)

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: pārthiva-sattama (addressed king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-yajamāna seated on kuśa, offering piṇḍa/anna to a brāhmaṇa at a riverside tīrtha; no elaborate āvāhana gestures; the yajamāna respectfully asks about satisfaction; then tastes a small portion once.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ekoddiṣṭa rites emphasize simplicity and precision—omitting certain formalities while ensuring completion through the tṛpti inquiry.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya’s Śrāddha-kalpa, without naming a distinct tīrtha in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Do not perform āvāhana; perform tṛpti-praśna; and do the tasting only once (sakṛt).