Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

वरुणः पश्चिमे भागे मित्रस्तु वायवे तथा । विष्णुश्च सौम्यदिग्भागे विवस्वानीशगोचरे

Transliteration

varuṇaḥ paścime bhāge mitrastu vāyave tathā | viṣṇuśca saumyadigbhāge vivasvānīśagocare

Translation

Varuṇa se tient au quartier de l’occident ; Mitra, de même, dans la région de Vāyu (nord-ouest). Viṣṇu est au quartier du nord, et Vivasvān dans la région d’Īśa (nord-est).

Word by Word

• वरुणः: Varuṇa
• वरुणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

• पश्चिमे: western
• पश्चिमे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘भागे’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (loc. sg., adjective)

• भागे: in the region/part
• भागे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (loc. sg.)

• मित्रः: Mitra
• मित्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

• तु: and/but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• वायवे: in the north-west
• वायवे: Adhikaraṇa (Directional locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; दिक्शब्द-प्रयोगः ‘वायवे (दिशि)’ (loc. sg.: in the north-west direction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/समुच्चयवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सौम्यदिग्भागे: in the northern quarter/region
• सौम्यदिग्भागे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/Directional locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौम्य-दिक्-भाग (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘सौम्यायां दिशि भागे’ (loc. sg.: in the northern region)

• विवस्वान्: Vivasvān (the Sun)
• विवस्वान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवस्वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

• ईशगोचरे: in the region of Īśa (Śiva)
• ईशगोचरे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश-गोचर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘ईशस्य गोचरे’ (loc. sg.: in Īśa’s region)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic speaker, contextually within Revā Khaṇḍa discourse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvādashāditya-tīrtha (context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A mandala showing Varuṇa in the west with oceanic motifs, Mitra in the northwest with wind banners, Viṣṇu in the north with conch/discus, and Vivasvān in the northeast with a brilliant dawn aura; all orbit a central sun-disc.

Characters & Entities

• Varuṇa
• Mitra
• Viṣṇu
• Vivasvān
• Vāyu
• Īśa
• Directions

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine light is approached through many sacred names, integrating cosmic space (directions) with inner devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate emphasis is cosmological; the broader Revā Khaṇḍa setting links such teachings to Narmadā tīrtha-mahātmya and darśana practices.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse functions as a contemplative enumeration useful for japa/smaraṇa, though it does not state a standalone vow here.