Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

शरीरेष्वपि भूतानां त्वं देवि प्रथमं स्थिता । ततश्चान्यानि भूतानि जलादीनि वसुन्धरे

Transliteration

śarīreṣvapi bhūtānāṃ tvaṃ devi prathamaṃ sthitā | tataścānyāni bhūtāni jalādīni vasundhare

Translation

Even within the bodies of beings, O Goddess, you are established first. Thereafter the other elements—water and the rest—arise, O Vasundharā.

Word by Word

• शरीरेषु: in bodies
• शरीरेषु: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), बहुवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis/also

• भूतानाम्: of beings
• भूतानाम्: Sambandha (Of whom)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (कर्ता/Nominative), एकवचन

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• प्रथमम्: first/primarily
• प्रथमम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (क्रियाविशेषणवत्/Adverbial accusative), एकवचन

• स्थिताः: situated/established
• स्थिताः: Karta-bhava (Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग; agrees with त्वम् (devi)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अव्यय-प्रयोग (adverb)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• अन्यानि: other
• अन्यानि: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; भूतानि-विशेषण

• भूतानि: elements/beings
• भूतानि: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• जलादीनि: water and the rest (etc.)
• जलादीनि: Visheshana (Appositive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (जल-आदि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; भूतानि-विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• वसुन्धरे: O Earth
• वसुन्धरे: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुन्धरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Yajamāna/Devotee (continuing the prayer)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vasundharā/Medinī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: the Earth goddess stands as the base layer within a translucent human form; above her appear water, fire, air, and space as successive luminous bands or symbols.

Characters & Entities

• Vasundharā (Earth)
• Bhūtas (elements)
• Jala (water)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Earth is honored as the foundational support for embodied life; gratitude toward that foundation is dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The praise is universal (Earth as principle), embedded within a tīrtha-oriented ritual chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A doctrinal praise (stuti) recited during the offering, affirming Earth’s primacy among the elements.