Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

प्रणष्टे सहसा वह्नावग्निष्टोमादिकाः क्रियाः । प्रणष्टास्तु जनाः सर्वे विशेषात्संशयं गताः

Transliteration

praṇaṣṭe sahasā vahnāvagniṣṭomādikāḥ kriyāḥ | praṇaṣṭāstu janāḥ sarve viśeṣātsaṃśayaṃ gatāḥ

Translation

அக்னி திடீரென மறைந்தபோது அக்னிஷ்டோமம் முதலிய யாகக் கிரியைகள் நின்றன; மேலும் அனைவரும், குறிப்பாக, ஆழ்ந்த ஐயத்தில் ஆழ்ந்தனர்.

Word by Word

• प्रणष्टे: when (he) had vanished
• प्रणष्टे: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + नश् (धातु) → प्रणष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; सति-सप्तमी (when Agni had vanished)

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (suddenly)

• वह्नौ: in/when the fire (Agni)
• वह्नौ: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• अग्निष्टोमादिकाः: such as the Agniṣṭoma (rites)
• अग्निष्टोमादिकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्निष्टोम + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (क्रियाः इति); तत्पुरुषः (अग्निष्टोमः आदिः यासाम्)

• क्रियाः: ritual acts, ceremonies
• क्रियाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• प्रणष्टाः: were ruined/vanished
• प्रणष्टाः: Pradhana-visheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + नश् (धातु) → प्रणष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषणम् (जनाः इति)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (जनाः इति)

• विशेषात्: especially, in particular
• विशेषात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; हेतौ/निमित्ते (especially/from the fact)

• संशयम्: doubt
• संशयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• गताः: went into, fell into
• गताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; (जनाः) गताः = have gone/entered

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice within Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Altars cold; Agniṣṭoma and other śrauta rites stop; priests hold ladles and soma vessels unused; people gather in anxious debate, faces clouded with doubt.

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Agniṣṭoma (yajña)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred rites sustain confidence and order; when the ritual foundation (Agni) is removed, society and faith enter confusion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None directly; the verse is about the universal impact of Agni’s absence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Agniṣṭoma and related yajñas are referenced as dependent on Agni; the implication is the indispensability of properly maintained sacred fire.