Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

यमो विभीतकं चैव बकुलं नैरृताधिपः । वरुणः खर्जुरीवृक्षं पूगवृक्षं च मारुतः

Transliteration

yamo vibhītakaṃ caiva bakulaṃ nairṛtādhipaḥ | varuṇaḥ kharjurīvṛkṣaṃ pūgavṛkṣaṃ ca mārutaḥ

Translation

يَقيمُ يَما في شجرةِ وِبْهِيتَكَ؛ ويقيمُ سيّدُ جهةِ نِرِتِي في شجرةِ بَكُولَ. ويقيمُ فَرُونَة في نخلةِ التمر، ويقيمُ ماروتا (فايو) في شجرةِ الفوفل (الأريكا).

Word by Word

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• विभीतकम्: bibhītaka tree (Terminalia bellirica)
• विभीतकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभीतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (indeed)

• बकुलम्: bakula tree
• बकुलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• नैरृताधिपः: lord of the Nirṛti quarter
• नैरृताधिपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैरृत + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नैरृतस्य अधिपः)

• वरुणः: Varuṇa
• वरुणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• खर्जुरीवृक्षम्: date-palm tree
• खर्जुरीवृक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खर्जूरी + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (खर्जूर्याः वृक्षः)

• पूगवृक्षम्: areca-nut tree
• पूगवृक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूग + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पूगस्य वृक्षः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• मारुतः: Māruta (wind-god)
• मारुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bahula (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred grove arranged like a directional maṇḍala: Yama in a vibhītaka, Nirṛti’s lord in a bakula, Varuṇa in a date-palm, and Vāyu in an areca—each tree subtly marked by its deity’s emblem and direction.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Nairṛtādhipa (guardian of the southwest)
• Varuṇa
• Māruta (Vāyu)
• Vibhītaka tree
• Bakula tree
• Kharjurī (date palm)
• Pūga (areca)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic order (dharma) is mirrored in nature: direction-guardians and deities are linked with particular trees, making the landscape itself a mandala of worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This is part of the Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya’s mapping of sacred flora; it does not name a single tīrtha in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the teaching supports tree-veneration and mindful conduct within sacred precincts.