Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

चक्रुः सर्वाणि कर्माणि पुलस्त्येन प्रबोधिताः । सदोमध्ये गताश्चैव ऋत्विग्वरणपूर्वकाः

Transliteration

cakruḥ sarvāṇi karmāṇi pulastyena prabodhitāḥ | sadomadhye gatāścaiva ṛtvigvaraṇapūrvakāḥ

Translation

پلستیہ کی ہدایت سے انہوں نے سب مقررہ کرم شاستری طریقے سے ادا کیے؛ پھر پہلے رِتوِج (یَجْن کے پجاری) منتخب کر کے، یَجْن شالا کے بیچوں بیچ داخل ہوئے۔

Word by Word

• चक्रुः: did; performed
• चक्रुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (कर्माणि)

• कर्माणि: rites; actions
• कर्माणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कर्म (object)

• पुलस्त्येन: by Pulastya
• पुलस्त्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुलस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/हेतु (agent-instrument)

• प्रबोधिताः: instructed; awakened
• प्रबोधिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र+बुध् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त; PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (ते)

• सदोमध्ये: in the middle of the assembly hall (sadas)
• सदोमध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदस्-मध्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरणे

• गताः: gone; having proceeded
• गताः: Kriya (Motion/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त; PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (ते)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/emphasis)

• ऋत्विग्वरणपूर्वकाः: preceded by the choosing of priests
• ऋत्विग्वरणपूर्वकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋत्विज्-वरन-पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (ते)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pulastya ṛṣi instructs a group of dvijas; they then enter a decorated sacrificial hall, where priests are being formally chosen—garlands, kuśa seats, and ritual vessels arranged in symmetry.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Pulastya
• ṛtvij
• sadas (sacrificial hall)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is safeguarded by proper guidance (ṛṣi-upadeśa) and correct procedure—devotion expressed through disciplined ritual order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues a tīrtha-māhātmya setting but does not name the tīrtha explicitly in this line; it highlights the sanctified sacrificial space (sadas).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ṛtvig-varaṇa (formal selection/appointment of priests) prior to commencing the main sacrificial proceedings.