Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

अनावृष्टिभये जाते शांतिं तत्रैव कारयेत् । वारुणीं विप्रमुख्यैस्तु भावयेदुदकैर्महीम्

Transliteration

anāvṛṣṭibhaye jāte śāṃtiṃ tatraiva kārayet | vāruṇīṃ vipramukhyaistu bhāvayedudakairmahīm

Translation

Quand naît la crainte de la sécheresse, qu’on fasse accomplir sur-le-champ un rite d’apaisement. Sous la conduite de brāhmaṇas éminents, qu’on célèbre le rite de Vāruṇī et qu’on consacre la terre par les eaux.

Word by Word

• अनावृष्टिभये: in (the situation of) fear of drought
• अनावृष्टिभये: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनावृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘अनावृष्टेः भयम्’)

• जाते: when (it) has arisen
• जाते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute): ‘when it has arisen’

• शान्तिम्: a pacificatory rite
• शान्तिम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• एव: itself/indeed
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• कारयेत्: should have (it) performed
• कारयेत्: Kriya (Injunction/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative): ‘should cause to be done’

• वारुणीम्: Vāruṇī (rite/observance)
• वारुणीम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारुणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; वारुणी-शान्तिः/देवी/क्रिया इत्यर्थे

• विप्रमुख्यैः: by leading Brahmins
• विप्रमुख्यैः: Karana/Agent-associate (सहकारी-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः (‘मुख्याः विप्राः’ = leading Brahmins)

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

• भावयेत्: should consecrate/sprinkle
• भावयेत्: Kriya (Injunction/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोगः: ‘should cause to be/should consecrate/should sprinkle’

• उदकैः: with waters
• उदकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• महीम्: the earth/ground
• महीम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Megheśvara

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A drought-stricken landscape near Prabhāsa; eminent brāhmaṇas lead a Vāruṇī-śānti with water pots, sprinkling consecrated water over earth and crops; the Megheśvara liṅga stands adorned, receiving abhiṣeka; clouds begin to gather subtly overhead.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara
• Varuṇa
• Brāhmaṇas
• Megheśvara
• Prabhāsakṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes communal rites of harmony—invoking divine order through śānti rituals when nature becomes imbalanced.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction is set in the Megheśvara/Prabhāsakṣetra context within Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform śānti (pacification) and a Vāruṇī rite, led by foremost brāhmaṇas, sanctifying the land with water.