Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

ऋग्यजुःसामसंज्ञाख्या अग्निष्टोमादिका मखाः । पारत्रिकाः प्रवर्तंते नैहिकाश्चाभिचारिकाः

Transliteration

ṛgyajuḥsāmasaṃjñākhyā agniṣṭomādikā makhāḥ | pāratrikāḥ pravartaṃte naihikāścābhicārikāḥ

Translation

رِگ، یَجُس اور سام کے نام سے معروف یَجْن—جیسے اگنِشٹوم وغیرہ—پرلوکی پھل کے لیے جاری کیے جاتے ہیں؛ اور بعض اِہلوکی مقاصد کے لیے بھی، جن میں دفعِ اثر اور تسخیر و جبر کے اعمال شامل ہیں۔

Word by Word

• ऋक्: Ṛg (Rigveda)
• ऋक्: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• यजुः: Yajus (Yajurveda)
• यजुः: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• साम: Sāman (Samaveda)
• साम: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• संज्ञा: designation/name
• संज्ञा: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• आख्याः: called; named
• आख्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• अग्निष्टोमादिकाः: such as Agniṣṭoma and others
• अग्निष्टोमादिकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्निष्टोम (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + क (तद्धित)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (अग्निष्टोमः आदिः येषाम्/यत्र), तद्धितान्त -क (having/pertaining to etc.), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• मखाः: sacrifices
• मखाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• पारत्रिकाः: other-worldly; for the next world
• पारत्रिकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पारत्रिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• प्रवर्तन्ते: proceed; take place
• प्रवर्तन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural), आत्मनेपद

• नैहिकाः: worldly; pertaining to this world
• नैहिकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नैहिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अभिचारिकाः: pertaining to sorcery/black rites
• अभिचारिकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिचारिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas (dvijāḥ)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A schematic teaching scene: the three Vedic streams (Ṛg, Yajus, Sāman) are symbolized as three fires/altars; Agniṣṭoma is depicted as a grand soma-yajña leading upward (pāratrika), while a separate darker corner hints at ābhicārika rites for worldly ends.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛgveda
• Yajurveda
• Sāmaveda
• Agniṣṭoma
• Abhicāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rituals differ by aim—some elevate toward the beyond, while others address worldly needs; discernment of purpose is essential.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it is part of the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra-māhātmya discourse context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Agniṣṭoma and related Vedic makhas are referenced as ritual categories, distinguished by otherworldly (pāratrika) and worldly (naihika) aims.