Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

व्रीहितंडुलराशिं च तन्मध्ये च सकूर्चकम् । कूर्चोपरि सुसंस्थाप्य कलशं वारिपूरितम्

Transliteration

vrīhitaṃḍularāśiṃ ca tanmadhye ca sakūrcakam | kūrcopari susaṃsthāpya kalaśaṃ vāripūritam

Translation

ಅದರ ಮಧ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ವ್ರೀಹಿ-ತಂಡುಲ ರಾಶಿಯನ್ನು ಇಟ್ಟು, ಅದರಲ್ಲಿ ಕೂರ್ಚ (ದರ್ಭಗುಚ್ಛ)ವನ್ನು ಸ್ಥಾಪಿಸಬೇಕು; ಕೂರ್ಚದ ಮೇಲೆ ನೀರಿನಿಂದ ತುಂಬಿದ ಕಲಶವನ್ನು ದೃಢವಾಗಿ ಇರಿಸಬೇಕು.

Word by Word

• व्रीहि: rice (paddy)
• व्रीहि: Samānādhikaraṇa (member in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रीहि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masc, nom/acc, sg)

• तण्डुल: husked rice grains
• तण्डुल: Samānādhikaraṇa (member in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तण्डुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masc, nom/acc, sg)

• राशिम्: a heap/pile
• राशिम्: Karma (object; to be placed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राशि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (masc, accusative, singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (समासपूर्वपद-रूप), एकवचन (pronoun, neuter, genitive, singular)

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikaraṇa (location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (neuter, locative, singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• स: with
• स: Sambandha (association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (उपसर्गवत्/सह-अर्थक)
• Form: सह-अर्थक अव्यय (prefix-like ‘with’)

• कूर्चकम्: a tuft/bunch (ritual brush/kuśa tuft)
• कूर्चकम्: Karma (object; to be placed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्चक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, accusative, singular)

• कूर्च: on the tuft
• कूर्च: Adhikaraṇa (location; in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (समासपूर्वपद-रूप), एकवचन (masc, locative, singular)

• उपरि: upon/on
• उपरि: Adhikaraṇa (location marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb/preposition: ‘upon’)

• सु: well
• सु: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (intensifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/उपपद (intensifier ‘well’)

• संस्थाप्य: having set/placed
• संस्थाप्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्+√स्था (धातु) → संस्थाप्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यपन्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘having placed/established’

• कलशम्: a pot
• कलशम्: Karma (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (masc, accusative, singular)

• वारि: water
• वारि: Samānādhikaraṇa (member in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (समासपूर्वपद-रूप), एकवचन (neuter, nom/acc, sg)

• पूरितम्: filled
• पूरितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (qualifier of ‘कलशम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √पॄ/√पूर् (धातु) → पूरित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (masc, accusative, singular)

Speaker

Unknown (narrative instruction within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the center of the maṇḍala sits a neat mound of rice; a darbha kūrcha rises from its middle; a brimming kalasha is placed atop, reflecting lamp-light, ready for consecration.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Material elements—grain, sacred grass, and water—are sanctified into supports for devotion and divine presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse describes standard ritual setup elements.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prepare a rice heap, place a darbha kūrca in the center, and set a water-filled kalaśa securely on top.