Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

सकृत्सकृज्जलं दत्त्वा गायत्रीत्रितयं जपेत् । मधुवातेति संकीर्त्य ततः पृच्छेद्द्विजोत्तमान्

Transliteration

sakṛtsakṛjjalaṃ dattvā gāyatrītritayaṃ japet | madhuvāteti saṃkīrtya tataḥ pṛccheddvijottamān

Translation

ایک بار اور پھر پانی نذر کرکے تین گایتریوں کا جپ کرے۔ ‘مدھوواتا’ کہہ کر پھر برگزیدہ دِوِجوں سے (ان کی تسکین کے بارے میں) دریافت کرے۔

Word by Word

• सकृत्: once
• सकृत्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb: once)

• सकृत्: once
• सकृत्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb: once)

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): having given

• गायत्री-त्रितयम्: the triad of Gāyatrī (three verses)
• गायत्री-त्रितयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रितय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गायत्र्याः त्रितयम् = three Gayatrīs)

• जपेत्: should recite/mutter
• जपेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative/विधि), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मधु-वाता: (the words) ‘madhu’ and ‘vāta’
• मधु-वाता: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + वात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; इतिसंज्ञा-पूर्वकं मन्त्रपद (the pair 'madhu' and 'vāta')

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-चिह्नक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• संकीर्त्य: having recited
• संकीर्त्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + √कीर्त्/√कॄत् (धातु; ‘to mention/praise’)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): having uttered/recited

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक अव्यय (ablatival adverb: then/thereafter)

• पृच्छेत्: should ask
• पृच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विज-उत्तमान्: the best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विज-उत्तमान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (श्रेष्ठा द्विजाः)

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (ritual instruction within Nāgarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A performer pours water in small libations, counts japa on fingers, then recites ‘madhuvātā’ with uplifted voice; brāhmaṇas nod, and he respectfully asks about their satisfaction.

Characters & Entities

• jala (water)
• Gāyatrī-tritaya
• madhuvātā
• dvijottama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha integrates mantra, water-offering, and respectful confirmation of guests’ contentment—outer rite aligned with inner reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; the focus is on mantra-and-offering protocol within the tīrtha-māhātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer water repeatedly, recite the three Gāyatrīs, utter ‘madhuvātā’, and then ask the brāhmaṇas about their satisfaction.