Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

देवा ऊचुः । येन यच्चात्र कर्तव्यं तच्छीघ्रं वद पद्मज । यज्ञे तव महाभाग तस्य तत्त्वं समादिश

Transliteration

devā ūcuḥ | yena yaccātra kartavyaṃ tacchīghraṃ vada padmaja | yajñe tava mahābhāga tasya tattvaṃ samādiśa

Translation

దేవులు పలికిరి—హే పద్మజా! ఇక్కడ ఎవరి చేత ఏ కర్తవ్యం చేయవలెనో త్వరగా చెప్పుము. హే మహాభాగ! నీ యజ్ఞముని తత్త్వమును విధానమును మాకు ఉపదేశించుము.

Word by Word

• devāḥ: the gods
• devāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• yena: by which
• yena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• yat: what
• yat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• kartavyam: to be done; necessary
• kartavyam: Karya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + tavya (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृत्य (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन

• śīghram: quickly
• śīghram: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śīghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• vada: tell; speak
• vada: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vad (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• padmaja: O lotus-born (Brahmā)
• padmaja: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padma + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (padmāt jātaḥ = born from the lotus)

• yajñe: in the sacrifice
• yajñe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• mahābhāga: O greatly fortunate one
• mahābhāga: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (mahān bhāgaḥ = greatly fortunate)

• tasya: of that
• tasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• tattvam: the truth; the principle
• tattvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• samādiśa: instruct; prescribe
• samādiśa: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-diś (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Devas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial assembly of devas, hands folded, addressing Brahmā seated on a lotus-throne; the atmosphere is anticipatory, as if the blueprint of a grand yajña is about to be revealed.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Brahmā (Padmaja)
• Yajña
• Tattva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right action needs right guidance: even the powerful seek instruction so that service aligns with tattva (true principle).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This is a dialogic moment within Adhyāya 180’s tīrtha-māhātmya narrative; the site is not specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A request for clear assignment of ritual duties and for instruction in the essential procedure/principle (tattva) of the yajña.