Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

स्थालीपाकं च कृत्वाथ कृत्वा वेदीः शुभास्तदा । चतुर्हस्ताः सकलशा नागपाश समन्विताः

Transliteration

sthālīpākaṃ ca kṛtvātha kṛtvā vedīḥ śubhāstadā | caturhastāḥ sakalaśā nāgapāśa samanvitāḥ

Translation

แล้วจึงประกอบพิธีสถาลีปากะ และจัดทำเวทีอันเป็นมงคล จากนั้นทำให้มีขนาดสี่ศอก จัดวางอย่างเรียบร้อย และผูกประกอบด้วยบ่วง ‘นาคปาศะ’

Word by Word

• स्थालीपाकम्: the sthālīpāka offering
• स्थालीपाकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थाली-पाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्म (a specific rite/boiled offering)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम्

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + त्वा-प्रत्यय
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (gerund)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर-अव्ययम् (sequencing particle: then)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + त्वा-प्रत्यय
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (gerund)

• वेदीः: altars
• वेदीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; कर्म

• शुभाः: auspicious
• शुभाः: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्—'वेदीः'

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्ययम् (adverb: then/at that time)

• चतुर्हस्ताः: four-handed / four-cubit (in measure)
• चतुर्हस्ताः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्-हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (measure/size: four cubits/arms)

• सकलशाः: with pots (complete with vessels)
• सकलशाः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-कलश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्—(अभिप्रेतम्) 'वेदीः' वा 'समन्विताः' समूहः

• नागपाश: a serpent-noose (nāgapāśa)
• नागपाश: Sambandha (Apposition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग-पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; साधन/उपकरण-नाम (as an attribute in apposition)

• समन्विताः: endowed/combined with
• समन्विताः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-अन्वित (कृदन्त; √इ (धातु) क्त, सम्-उपसर्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; 'युक्ताः/सहिताः' अर्थे

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) [deduced]

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Priests prepare the sthālīpāka offering and construct auspicious altars: four-cubit platforms, neatly arranged, with serpent-rope (nāgapāśa) style bindings; ritual tools laid out in order.

Characters & Entities

• sthālīpāka
• vedī (altar)
• nāgapāśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred action is carried out with precision—offerings and altar-making become embodiments of dharma when performed correctly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya, as the setting where detailed Vedic domestic rites are successfully performed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sthālīpāka and the preparation of auspicious vedīs with specified measure and ritual fittings.