Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

अप्सरोग्रामणीसर्पैरथो याति च सप्तभिः । धातार्यमा मित्रवरुणौ विवस्वानिन्द्र एव च

Transliteration

apsarogrāmaṇīsarpairatho yāti ca saptabhiḥ | dhātāryamā mitravaruṇau vivasvānindra eva ca

Translation

Moreover, he proceeds with seven companions—apsarases, leaders, and serpents—and with Dhātā, Aryamā, Mitra and Varuṇa, Vivasvān, and Indra as well.

Word by Word

• apsaraḥ-grāmaṇī-sarpaiḥ: with apsarases, leaders, and serpents
• apsaraḥ-grāmaṇī-sarpaiḥ: Sahakari (Association/सहकारि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apsaras + grāmaṇī + sarpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• īśvara?: -
• īśvara?: -
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: -
• Form: (not in verse)

• atho: then/thereupon
• atho: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha + u (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अनन्तरार्थक/समुच्चयार्थक) = 'then/and then'

• yāti: he goes
• yāti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक)

• saptabhiḥ: with seven (ones)
• saptabhiḥ: Sahakari (Association/सहकारि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषणम्

• dhātā: Dhātā
• dhātā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; आदित्य-नाम

• aryamā: Aryamā
• aryamā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aryaman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; आदित्य-नाम

• mitra-varuṇau: Mitra and Varuṇa
• mitra-varuṇau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mitra + varuṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• vivasvān: Vivasvān
• vivasvān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vivasvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; आदित्य-नाम

• indraḥ: Indra
• indraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण-निपात)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sūrya-maṇḍala (conceptual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūrya’s journey shown as a grand celestial cortege: apsarases, nāgas, and leaders of groups moving alongside; behind/around are Dhātā, Aryamā, Mitra, Varuṇa, Vivasvān, and Indra as luminous personifications accompanying the solar orb.

Characters & Entities

• Apsaras
• Nāgas (serpents)
• Dhātā
• Aryamā
• Mitra
• Varuṇa
• Vivasvān
• Indra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Sun’s movement is portrayed as a divinely ordered procession, reminding devotees that cosmic rhythms are governed by sacred intelligences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified; the verse is a cosmological catalog of divine associates.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is stated here; it supports the broader context of Sūrya reverence and sandhyā discipline.