Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

भर्तृयज्ञविधानेन शुद्धैः स्थानोद्भवैर्द्विजैः । भर्तृयज्ञविधिं त्यक्त्वा योऽन्येन विधिना नरः

Transliteration

bhartṛyajñavidhānena śuddhaiḥ sthānodbhavairdvijaiḥ | bhartṛyajñavidhiṃ tyaktvā yo'nyena vidhinā naraḥ

Translation

بھرتری یَجْن کے مقررہ قاعدے کے مطابق (شرادھ) اسی مقام کے باشندہ پاکیزہ دْوِج برہمنوں سے کرانا چاہیے۔ مگر جو آدمی اس بھرتری یَجْن کی روش چھوڑ کر کسی اور طریقے سے کرے…

Word by Word

• भर्तृ-यज्ञ-विधानेन: by the procedure of the Bhartṛ-yajña
• भर्तृ-यज्ञ-विधानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); भर्तृयज्ञस्य विधानम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• शुद्धैः: pure
• शुद्धैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifier) द्विजैः

• स्थान-उद्भवैः: born from that place (local)
• स्थान-उद्भवैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक) + udbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); स्थानात् उद्भवः (पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष)

• द्विजैः: by Brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• भर्तृ-यज्ञ-विधिम्: the rule of the Bhartṛ-yajña
• भर्तृ-यज्ञ-विधिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); भर्तृयज्ञस्य विधिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धवाचक

• अन्येन: by another
• अन्येन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier) विधिना

• विधिना: by a method/rite
• विधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Viśvāmitra (continuing instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual pavilion near the tīrtha: local brāhmaṇas seated in a row, darbha mats, vessels for arghya; Viśvāmitra emphasizes correct procedure while a pilgrim listens attentively.

Characters & Entities

• Dvija (brāhmaṇa)
• Sthānodbhava (local priests)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is not only intention but also correct method: śrāddha must follow the prescribed vidhi and proper officiants.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Gayākūpī-associated tīrtha setting, emphasizing that rites there should be conducted with place-native qualified brāhmaṇas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform the śrāddha according to bhartṛyajña-vidhi and employ pure local (sthānodbhava) dvijas.