Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

नागरा याज्ञिकाः संति स्मार्ताः श्रुतिपरायणाः । तेषामग्रे कुरु श्राद्धं श्रद्धा चेच्छ्राद्धजा तव

Transliteration

nāgarā yājñikāḥ saṃti smārtāḥ śrutiparāyaṇāḥ | teṣāmagre kuru śrāddhaṃ śraddhā cecchrāddhajā tava

Translation

ที่นั่นมีพราหมณ์นาคาระ ผู้ชำนาญพิธีกรรม เป็นผู้ยึดสมฤติ และตั้งมั่นในศรุติ หากศรัทธาของท่านเกิดเพื่อศราทธะจริง ก็จงประกอบศราทธะต่อหน้าท่านเหล่านั้น

Word by Word

• नागराः: Nāgara Brahmins / townsmen
• नागराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• याज्ञिकाः: ritualists / sacrificers
• याज्ञिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याज्ञिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• सन्ति: are
• सन्ति: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• स्मार्ताः: followers of Smṛti tradition
• स्मार्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मार्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• श्रुति-परायणाः: devoted to the Veda (Śruti)
• श्रुति-परायणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (श्रुतौ परायणाः = devoted to Śruti)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• अग्रे: in front / in the presence
• अग्रे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• कुरु: do / perform
• कुरु: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• श्रद्धा: faith / sincerity
• श्रद्धा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; शर्तार्थक-निपातः (conditional ‘if’)

• श्राद्धजा: born of / arising from śrāddha
• श्राद्धजा: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्राद्धज (प्रातिपदिक; श्राद्ध + ज)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (श्राद्धात् जाता = arising from śrāddha)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (6th/Genitive), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Camatkārapura / Nāgara brāhmaṇa-kshetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A speaker points out that Nāgara ritualists—experts in yajña, aligned with Smṛti and devoted to Śruti—are present; the instruction is to perform śrāddha before them if genuine faith for śrāddha has arisen.

Characters & Entities

• Nāgara (Brāhmaṇas)
• yājñika
• Smṛti
• Śruti
• Śrāddha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rites like śrāddha should be performed with faith and in the presence of qualified, tradition-rooted officiants.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse points to Camatkārapura’s ritual community (Nāgara yājñikas) as a defining sacred feature of the place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform śrāddha in the presence of Nāgara yājñika Brāhmaṇas who adhere to Smṛti and are devoted to Śruti.