Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

जंघोरू कल्पितौ विप्रा वरुणस्य तु तेजसा । नितंबः पृथिवीतेजः पादांगुल्योऽर्कतेजसा

Transliteration

jaṃghorū kalpitau viprā varuṇasya tu tejasā | nitaṃbaḥ pṛthivītejaḥ pādāṃgulyo'rkatejasā

Translation

Ô brāhmaṇas, par la splendeur de Varuṇa furent façonnés ses jambes et ses cuisses. Ses hanches furent formées de la splendeur de la Terre, et les orteils de la splendeur du Soleil.

Word by Word

• जङ्घा-ऊरू: the shanks and thighs (two)
• जङ्घा-ऊरू: Karma/Predicate complement (Result/कर्म-समाना)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जङ्घा (प्रातिपदिक) + ऊरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (Copulative): जङ्घा च ऊरू च; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन

• कल्पितौ: were formed
• कल्पितौ: Kriya (Participial predicate/क्रियाविशेषण-समाना)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (formed/constructed)

• विप्राः: O brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Sambodhana (Vocative address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे अपि (also used as address)

• वरुणस्य: of Varuṇa
• वरुणस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• तेजसा: by (the) energy
• तेजसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• नितम्बः: the buttock/hip
• नितम्बः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नितम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पृथिवीतेजः: Earth's energy
• पृथिवीतेजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Genitive): पृथिव्याः तेजः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पाद-अङ्गुल्यः: the toes
• पाद-अङ्गुल्यः: Karma/Predicate complement (Result/कर्म-समाना)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: पादस्य अङ्गुल्यः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अर्कतेजसा: by the Sun's energy
• अर्कतेजसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Genitive): अर्कस्य तेजसा; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator addressing vipras (brāhmaṇas)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu (Setubandha/Rāmeśvara-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas (viprāḥ)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Devī’s shanks and thighs shimmer with oceanic-blue Varuṇa radiance; her hips glow with earthy, fertile bhūmi-tejas; her toes sparkle with sunlike arka-tejas, like tiny flames or lotuses lit by dawn.

Characters & Entities

• Varuṇa
• Pṛthivī (Earth)
• Arka (Sun)
• Devī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Nature and cosmic order (waters, earth, sun) are sacred powers within Devī—reverence for dharma includes reverence for the cosmos.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu Māhātmya pilgrimage frame is present, but this verse focuses on Devī’s cosmic formation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.