Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

वारुणेन तु मन्त्रेण वीक्ष यन्वसुधातलम् । ततो निर्भिद्य वसुधां भूरितोयं विनिर्गतम्

Transliteration

vāruṇena tu mantreṇa vīkṣa yanvasudhātalam | tato nirbhidya vasudhāṃ bhūritoyaṃ vinirgatam

Translation

Fixant la surface de la terre par le mantra de Vāruṇa, il fendit ensuite le sol, et une eau abondante jaillit en torrent.

Word by Word

• वारुणेन: with the Varuṇa-related
• वारुणेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; ‘मन्त्रेण’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम् (Varuṇa-related)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• मन्त्रेण: by a mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• वीक्ष्य: having looked at
• वीक्ष्य: Purvakala-kriya (Absolutive/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वीक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त (absolutive), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having looked at)

• यन्: which
• यन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे—‘which’ (object of ‘वीक्ष्य’)

• वसुधातलम्: the surface of the earth
• वसुधातलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुधा-तल (प्रातिपदिक; वसुधा + तल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वसुधायाः तलम्)

• ततः: then/from there
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb ‘then/from there’)

• निर्भिद्य: having pierced/split
• निर्भिद्य: Purvakala-kriya (Absolutive/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-भिद् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त (absolutive), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having split open)

• वसुधाम्: the earth
• वसुधाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• भूरितोयम्: abundant water
• भूरितोयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूरि-तोय (प्रातिपदिक; भूरि + तोय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (भूरि तोयम्)

• विनिर्गतम्: came out/issued forth
• विनिर्गतम्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-निर्-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘भूरितोयम्’ इति कर्तृविशेषणम् (having come forth)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vāruṇa-prādurbhāva-tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vasiṣṭha, invoking the Vāruṇa mantra, fixes his gaze on the ground; the earth splits and a powerful surge of clear water erupts, transforming the place into a sacred spring/stream.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Vasiṣṭha
• Varuṇa (via Vāruṇa mantra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mantra guided by tapas is portrayed as a lawful sacred technology that restores life-giving waters and reestablishes tīrtha purity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Sarasvatī-associated tīrtha is glorified as a place where Vāruṇa-mantra power manifests water, reaffirming the site’s sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Use of the Vāruṇa mantra (a Varuṇa-related water-invoking mantra) is explicitly mentioned as the operative remedial practice.