Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

विप्राः षोडशसंख्याश्च ऋत्विक्कर्मणि योजय । स्वयं परीक्ष्य देवेश यज्ञकर्मप्रसिद्धये

Transliteration

viprāḥ ṣoḍaśasaṃkhyāśca ṛtvikkarmaṇi yojaya | svayaṃ parīkṣya deveśa yajñakarmaprasiddhaye

Translation

“اے دیویش! سولہ وِپروں کو رِتوِجوں کے فرائض میں مقرر کیجیے؛ خود ان کی جانچ فرما لیجیے، تاکہ یَجْن کا عمل کامیابی سے پورا ہو۔”

Word by Word

• viprāḥ: Brahmins
• viprāḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ṣoḍaśa-saṃkhyāḥ: sixteen in number
• ṣoḍaśa-saṃkhyāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣoḍaśa + saṃkhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषण; तत्पुरुष: ‘षोडश संख्या येषाम्’ (sixteen in number)

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

• ṛtvik-karmaṇi: in the office/duty of priests
• ṛtvik-karmaṇi: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛtvik + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘ऋत्विजां कर्म’ = priestly duty

• yojaya: appoint/engage
• yojaya: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yuj (युज्) (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• svayam: personally
• svayam: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = oneself/personally

• parīkṣya: having examined
• parīkṣya: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pari-√īkṣ (ईक्ष्) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) = having examined; उपसर्ग: परि

• deveśa: O Lord of gods
• deveśa: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva-īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘देवानाम् ईशः’

• yajña-karma-prasiddhaye: for the successful completion of the sacrifice
• yajña-karma-prasiddhaye: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña + karma + prasiddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘यज्ञकर्मणः प्रसिद्धिः’ = success/fulfilment of the sacrificial act

Speaker

Bṛhaspati (by immediate narrative context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bṛhaspati advises Brahmā to appoint sixteen brāhmaṇas as ṛtvijas, urging Brahmā to examine them personally; a ritual register and implements are displayed in the yajña pavilion.

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhaspati
• Brahmā (as Deveśa in this context)
• Ṛtviks
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual merit is protected by integrity: priests should be examined and properly appointed so the yajña bears pure fruit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is embedded in a Nāgarakhaṇḍa tīrtha-māhātmya chapter; the location is not specified in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Appointing sixteen brāhmaṇas as ṛtviks, after personal verification by the presiding authority.