Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

वरं वरय मे वत्स पन्नग त्वं कृतादर

Transliteration

varaṃ varaya me vatsa pannaga tvaṃ kṛtādara

Translation

(Śiva sprach:) „Wähle dir von mir eine Gabe, mein Kind. O Schlange, du, der Ehrfurcht erwiesen hat — sprich, was du begehrst.“

Word by Word

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (acc. sg.)

• वरय: choose/ask (for)
• वरय: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मे: of me/from me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th) एकवचन (gen. sg.) / चतुर्थी (4th) एकवचन (dat. sg.); अत्र षष्ठी-सम्बन्धे (of me)

• वत्स: O dear child
• वत्स: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन (voc. sg.)

• पन्नग: O serpent
• पन्नग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन (voc. sg.)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (nom. sg.)

• कृतादर: O respectful one
• कृतादर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत-आदर (प्रातिपदिक; कृ धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन (voc. sg.); विशेषणम् (one who has shown respect)

Speaker

Īśvara/Śiva (Jagadguru), implied

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vindhya-vara-sthāna (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The nāga (pannaga) devotee

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva stands before the ascetic nāga, compassionate and paternal, offering a boon; the devotee rises from meditation, awed, ready to speak his wish.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Īśvara)
• Pannaga (serpent/Vāsuki)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When devotion is sustained with reverence, Śiva responds with grace, inviting the devotee to articulate a dharmic desire.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate focus is the boon-dialogue resulting from Vindhya tapas; the chapter’s tīrtha climax comes with Revā instruction shortly after.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new prescription; it marks the moment of boon-offering after completed austerity.