Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

तद्वैरं हृदि चाधाय ददाह वसुधातलम् । उत्पाद्य वह्निं तपसा रौद्रमौर्वं जलाशनम्

Transliteration

tadvairaṃ hṛdi cādhāya dadāha vasudhātalam | utpādya vahniṃ tapasā raudramaurvaṃ jalāśanam

Translation

Portant cette inimitié dans son cœur, il embrasa la surface de la terre. Par l’austérité, il fit naître un feu—la flamme farouche d’Aaurva, dévoreuse même des eaux.

Word by Word

• तत्-वैरम्: that enmity
• तत्-वैरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + वैर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — neuter, accusative singular

• हृदि: in (his) heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद्/हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन — neuter, locative singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (and)

• आधाय: having placed
• आधाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) — having placed/kept

• ददाह: burned
• ददाह: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन — he burned

• वसुधा-तलम्: the surface of the earth
• वसुधा-तलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुधा (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — neuter, accusative singular

• उत्पाद्य: having produced
• उत्पाद्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्√पद्/उत्√पाद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) — having produced/created

• वह्निम्: fire
• वह्निम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — masculine, accusative singular

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन — neuter, instrumental singular

• रौद्रम्: fierce
• रौद्रम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — neuter, accusative singular; ‘वह्निम्’ विशेषणम्

• और्वम्: of Aurva (aurva-fire)
• और्वम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: और्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — neuter, accusative singular; ‘वह्निम्’ विशेषणम्

• जल-आशनम्: water-devouring
• जल-आशनम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + आशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — neuter, accusative singular; ‘जलम् आश्नाति’ इति बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रचलितं, अत्र विशेषणरूपेण ‘वह्निम्’

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (narrative setting)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis of Naimiṣāraṇya (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Bhārgava ascetic, eyes blazing with contained wrath, generates the Aaurva fire; tongues of flame spread across the earth’s surface while waters recoil as if being drunk by heat.

Characters & Entities

• Aaurva (implied)
• Aurva fire (Āurva-vahni)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas amplifies inner intent; when fueled by vengeance it becomes destructive, so dharma requires inner restraint and right purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is delivered within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, using cosmic narrative to elevate the sanctity and dharmic focus of Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is referenced as the means by which the fire is produced, though not prescribed as a lay ritual here.