Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

सूर्यकोटिप्रतीकाशं जगदानंदकारणम् । जाह्नवीजलसंपर्काद्दीर्घपिंगजटाधरम्

Transliteration

sūryakoṭipratīkāśaṃ jagadānaṃdakāraṇam | jāhnavījalasaṃparkāddīrghapiṃgajaṭādharam

Translation

কোটি সূর্যের ন্যায় দীপ্তিমান, জগতের আনন্দের কারণ—জাহ্নবী (গঙ্গা) জলের স্পর্শে পবিত্র দীর্ঘ পিঙ্গল জটা ধারণকারী প্রভুর ধ্যান করবে।

Word by Word

• सूर्यकोटिप्रतीकाशम्: shining like ten million suns
• सूर्यकोटिप्रतीकाशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूर्य + कोटि + प्रतीकाश (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सूर्यकोट्या प्रतीकाशः—like ten million suns)

• जगदानन्दकारणम्: cause of the world’s bliss
• जगदानन्दकारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + आनन्द + कारण (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जगतः आनन्दस्य कारणम्)

• जाह्नवी: Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)
• जाह्नवी: Visheshana (Qualifier in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाह्नवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रातिपदिक (compound-member)

• जल: water
• जल: Visheshana (Qualifier in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रातिपदिक (compound-member)

• संपर्कात्: from contact
• संपर्कात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संपर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन

• जाह्नवीजलसंपर्कात्: from the contact with Jāhnavī’s water
• जाह्नवीजलसंपर्कात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाह्नवी + जल + संपर्क (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जाह्नव्याः जलस्य संपर्कः)

• दीर्घपिङ्गजटाधरम्: bearing long tawny matted locks
• दीर्घपिङ्गजटाधरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ + पिङ्ग + जटा + धर (धृ धातु; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (दीर्घाः पिङ्गाः जटाः धारयति)

Speaker

Unknown (contextual narrator within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A blazing Śiva radiating like countless suns, yet serene; long tawny jaṭā crowned by the flowing Gaṅgā, suggesting cool sanctifying water touching ascetic fire-like brilliance.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Īśa)
• Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is portrayed as the supreme source of bliss and purity, intimately linked with the sanctifying power of Gaṅgā.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse evokes Gaṅgā (Jāhnavī) as a sacred river rather than naming a single pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditative contemplation of Śiva’s radiance and His jaṭā associated with Gaṅgā’s holy waters.