Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

श्रमादजायत स्वेदो गङ्गातोयविमिश्रितम् । पतन्तमुरगोऽश्नाति हरमौलिविनिर्गतम्

Transliteration

śramādajāyata svedo gaṅgātoyavimiśritam | patantamurago'śnāti haramaulivinirgatam

Translation

De l’effort naquit une sueur mêlée aux eaux de la Gaṅgā, s’écoulant de la couronne de mèches de Hara. Comme elle tombait, le serpent la but.

Word by Word

• श्रमात्: from exertion
• श्रमात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अजायत: arose / was produced
• अजायत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• स्वेदः: sweat
• स्वेदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गङ्गातोयविमिश्रितम्: mixed with the water of the Gaṅgā
• गङ्गातोयविमिश्रितम्: Karta (as predicate adjective of sweat)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + तोय (प्रातिपदिक) + वि- मिश्र (धातु) + क्त; विमिश्रित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (स्वेदस्य); तत्पुरुषः (गङ्गायाः तोयेन विमिश्रितम् = mixed with Ganges-water)

• पतन्तम्: falling
• पतन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु) + शतृ; पतन्त् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• उरगः: the serpent
• उरगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अश्नाति: eats / drinks
• अश्नाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• हरमौलिविनिर्गतम्: that which issued from Hara’s (Śiva’s) head/crest
• हरमौलिविनिर्गतम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक) + मौलि (प्रातिपदिक) + वि-निर्-गम् (धातु) + क्त; विनिर्गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (पतन्तम्/स्वेदम्); तत्पुरुषः (हरस्य मौलेः विनिर्गतम् = issued from Hara's crest)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (narration, implied by immediate context of the Adhyāya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śiva-jaṭā-gaṅgā-sparśa-jala (as nidāna for Vāsukīśa)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva’s dance produces sweat mingled with Gaṅgā-water flowing from his matted crown; as the drops fall, a serpent drinks them reverently.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Hara (Śiva)
• Uraga (serpent)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even what arises from divine contact—here, from Śiva’s crown and Gaṅgā’s water—becomes a potent, sacred medium, emphasizing the purifying power of holy waters and Śiva’s presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse invokes Gaṅgā’s sanctity and Śiva’s jaṭā; within this Adhyāya’s arc it prepares the turn toward Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha-instruction, though this specific verse itself centers on Gaṅgā and Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed here; it is narrative groundwork for later tīrtha guidance in the same chapter.