Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

विप्राणां साग्निहोत्राणां सस्त्रीकाणां महात्मनाम् । राज्ञां च सावरोधानां सहस्तिरथवाजिनाम्

Transliteration

viprāṇāṃ sāgnihotrāṇāṃ sastrīkāṇāṃ mahātmanām | rājñāṃ ca sāvarodhānāṃ sahastirathavājinām

Translation

其中有婆罗门——心怀大德，守持阿耆尼火供之仪——并携其妻；亦有诸王，连同内廷眷属，随行者有象、车与马。

Word by Word

• विप्राणाम्: of brāhmaṇas
• विप्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (of brāhmaṇas)

• स: with
• स: Modifier (with-)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स- (अव्यय/उपपद)
• Form: उपपद/पूर्वपद ‘सह’ अर्थे (with); समासे प्रयुज्यते

• अग्निहोत्राणाम्: of those with agnihotra rites
• अग्निहोत्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निहोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः: अग्नौ होत्रम् (agnihotra rite); ‘स’ उपपदपूर्वकः: साग्निहोत्राणाम् = with agnihotra rites

• स: with
• स: Modifier (with-)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स- (अव्यय/उपपद)
• Form: उपपद ‘with’ (saha-meaning)

• स्त्रीकाणाम्: of those with wives
• स्त्रीकाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्त्रीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी बहुवचन; समासः उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: स्त्रिया सह (with wives) → सस्त्रीक; षष्ठी (of those accompanied by wives)

• महात्मनाम्: of great-souled ones
• महात्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः: महान् आत्मा यस्य → महात्मा; सम्बन्ध

• राज्ञाम्: of kings
• राज्ञाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (of kings)

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• स: with
• स: Modifier (with-)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स- (अव्यय/उपपद)
• Form: उपपद ‘with’

• अवरोधानाम्: of those with their retinue/inner apartments
• अवरोधानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवरोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी बहुवचन; समासः उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: अवरोधैः सह → सावरोध; (avaro dha = inner apartments/retinue, esp. women/entourage)

• स: with
• स: Modifier (with-)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स- (अव्यय/उपपद)
• Form: उपपद ‘with’

• हस्ति: elephants
• हस्ति: Sambandha (within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्तिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासे पद; ‘elephant’

• रथ: chariots
• रथ: Sambandha (within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासे पद; ‘chariot’

• वाजिनाम्: of those with elephants, chariots, and horses
• वाजिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी बहुवचन; समासः द्वन्द्वः: हस्ति + रथ + वाजिन् (horses); उपपदपूर्वकः: सहस्तिरथवाजिनाम् = with elephants, chariots, and horses

Speaker

Narrator (context not specified in snippet; likely the Purāṇic narrator in Brahmakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A majestic caravan: brahmins with sacred fires and ritual vessels, wives beside them; kings with retinues and inner apartments, elephants and chariots moving in ordered splendor.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (brāhmaṇa)
• Rājā (kings)
• Agnihotra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True religious occasions gather all orders of society, uniting Vedic discipline and royal patronage in shared devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse describes participants in a devayātrā but does not name the specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Agnihotra is referenced as an ongoing Vedic practice, not as a new instruction in this verse.