Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

पूर्वं धर्मेश्वरो देवो दक्षिणेन गणाधिपः । पश्चिमे स्थापितो भानुरुत्तरे च स्वयंभुवः

Transliteration

pūrvaṃ dharmeśvaro devo dakṣiṇena gaṇādhipaḥ | paścime sthāpito bhānuruttare ca svayaṃbhuvaḥ

Translation

À l’est fut placé le Seigneur Dharmeśvara ; au sud, Gaṇādhipa (Gaṇeśa) ; à l’ouest, Bhānu (le Soleil) ; et au nord, Svayaṃbhu (le Né de lui-même).

Word by Word

• पूर्वम्: in the east
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (directional adverb): ‘in the east/eastward’

• धर्मेश्वरः: Lord of Dharma (Dharmeśvara)
• धर्मेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी): ‘धर्मस्य ईश्वरः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (Apposition/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; apposition to ‘धर्मेश्वरः’

• दक्षिणेन: to the south
• दक्षिणेन: Adhikarana (Directional location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental) एकवचन; दिक्शब्दे ‘to the south/southward’

• गणाधिपः: Gaṇādhipa (lord of the gaṇas)
• गणाधिपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण-अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी): ‘गणानाम् अधिपः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• पश्चिमे: in the west
• पश्चिमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative) एकवचन; ‘in the west’

• स्थापितः: was placed
• स्थापितः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + णिच् → स्थापय + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘was established/placed’

• भानुः: Bhānu (the Sun)
• भानुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; subject with ‘स्थापितः’

• उत्तरे: in the north
• उत्तरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative) एकवचन; ‘in the north’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/ conjunction): ‘and’

• स्वयंभुवः: Svayaṃbhu (the self-born)
• स्वयंभुवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम्-भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास: ‘स्वयम् भवति इति’ (self-born); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

Speaker

Vyāsa (contextual continuity within Adhyāya 12)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Satyamaṃdira directional shrines (Dharmeśvara–Gaṇādhipa–Bhānu–Svayaṃbhu)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A schematic yet sacred tableau: the central Satyamaṃdira with four shrines/guardians at cardinal points—Dharmeśvara (east), Gaṇeśa (south), Sūrya (west), Svayaṃbhu (north)—forming a protective square/mandala.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmeśvara
• Gaṇādhipa (Gaṇeśa)
• Bhānu (Sūrya)
• Svayaṃbhu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha is envisioned as a protected sacred mandala, harmonizing Dharma, auspicious beginnings (Gaṇeśa), solar order (Sūrya), and primordial creation (Svayaṃbhu).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Satyamaṃdira and its consecrated directional arrangement within the Dharmāraṇya sacred zone.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse describes consecration/installation (sthāpana) as sacred architecture theology.