Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

होतव्यं हविरेवात्र समाप्तिं यास्यति क्रतुः । नान्यथा सत्यमेवोक्तं तवाग्रे चतुरानन

Transliteration

hotavyaṃ havirevātra samāptiṃ yāsyati kratuḥ | nānyathā satyamevoktaṃ tavāgre caturānana

Translation

یہاں صرف ہوی ہی کی آہوتی دینی چاہیے؛ اسی سے کرتو (یَجْن) تکمیل کو پہنچے گا—اس کے سوا نہیں۔ اے چتورانن برہما، میں تمہارے سامنے یہی سچ کہتا ہوں۔

Word by Word

• hotavyam: to be offered
• hotavyam: Vidhi (Injunctional predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hotavya (कृदन्त; √hu जुहोति/हवने)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण; होतव्यम् (gerundive: "to be offered")

• havis: oblation
• havis: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: havis (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• eva: only, indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (only/indeed)

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

• samāptim: completion
• samāptim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samāpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (fem. acc. sg.)

• yāsyati: will attain
• yāsyati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु; गत्यर्थे)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• kratuḥ: sacrifice, rite
• kratuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kratu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• anyathā: otherwise
• anyathā: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारान्तरवाचक (otherwise)

• satyam: truth
• satyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• uktam: (it is) said
• uktam: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ukta (कृदन्त; √vac वचने)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे "said"

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (gen. sg.)

• agre: in (your) presence
• agre: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; "in front" (loc.)

• caturānana: O four-faced one
• caturānana: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (संख्या) + ānana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Voc.), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—चत्वारि आननानि यस्य (epithet of Brahmā)

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmā (Caturānana)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The deity speaks firmly before Brahmā: only the havis-offering here completes the kratu; Brahmā listens with folded hands, the fire steady and bright.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Brahmā (Caturānana)
• Kratu (yajña)
• Havis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual efficacy depends on fidelity to dharma: correct means and truthful intention complete sacred acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it reinforces the authority of proper worship that underlies tīrtha greatness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A firm rule that the rite reaches completion only by offering the proper havis in the prescribed manner.