Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 81
भकाराद्याः षकारांता अष्टौ हि वसवो मताः । ध्रुवो घोरश्च सोमश्च आपश्चैव नलोऽनिलः
bhakārādyāḥ ṣakārāṃtā aṣṭau hi vasavo matāḥ | dhruvo ghoraśca somaśca āpaścaiva nalo'nilaḥ
Dari ‘bha’ sebagai awal hingga ‘ṣa’ sebagai akhir, delapan Vasu dianggap demikian: Dhruva, Ghora, Soma, Āpa, Nala, dan Anila.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages
Scene: Eight Vasus depicted as elemental guardians around a sacred altar: Dhruva as a star-pillar, Soma as moonlight, Āpa as flowing waters, Anila as swirling wind; letters from bha to ṣa appear as a mnemonic garland above.
FAQs
The sustaining forces of nature are honored as divine powers (Vasus), cultivating reverence for creation as sacred.
No tīrtha is highlighted; the passage is cosmological.
No explicit ritual; the list supports remembrance practices and teaching of deva-classifications.