Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

कासारेण तथाग्नेय्यां स्थापयेत्करकं परम् । रक्ततन्दुलसंमिश्रं नैरृत्यां वायुगोचरे

Transliteration

kāsāreṇa tathāgneyyāṃ sthāpayetkarakaṃ param | raktatandulasaṃmiśraṃ nairṛtyāṃ vāyugocare

Translation

അതുപോലെ ആഗ്നേയ ദിക്കിൽ കാസാരത്തോടെ നിറച്ച ഉത്തമ കരകം (കലശം) സ്ഥാപിക്കണം. നൈഋത്യ ദിക്കിൽ, വായു-ഗോചര പ്രദേശത്ത്, ചുവന്ന തണ്ടുലം (അരി) കലർന്ന (പാത്രം) വെക്കണം.

Word by Word

• कासारेण: with/by a pond (water-reservoir)
• कासारेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कासार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण); एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• तथा: thus; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण — adverb (‘thus/so’)

• आग्नेय्याम्: in the southeast (Agni’s direction)
• आग्नेय्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आग्नेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण); एकवचन — Locative singular

• स्थापयेत्: should place
• स्थापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + णिच् (प्रयोजक)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन — ‘should place/establish’

• करकम्: a water-pot; vessel
• करकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म); एकवचन — Accusative singular

• परम्: excellent; supreme
• परम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन — agreeing with करकम्

• रक्ततन्दुलसंमिश्रम्: mixed with red rice-grains
• रक्ततन्दुलसंमिश्रम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + तन्दुल (प्रातिपदिक) + संमिश्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन — qualifying करकम्; समासः (तत्पुरुष): रक्ततन्दुलैः संमिश्रम्

• नैरृत्याम्: in the southwest (Nirṛti’s direction)
• नैरृत्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैरृती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण); एकवचन — Locative singular

• वायुगोचरे: in the quarter/region of Vāyu (wind)
• वायुगोचरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक) + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण); एकवचन — ‘in the region/range of Vāyu’; समासः (तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha milieu

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍunandana (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual altar with marked directions; in the south-east a decorated pot containing a sweet preparation; in the south-west a pot/plate with red rice grains, priests arranging items with measured gestures.

Characters & Entities

• Āgneya (SE direction)
• Nairṛta (SW direction)
• Vāyu
• Rakta-tandula

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred order extends to space itself—directions are sanctified through specific offerings and placements.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider Revā-khaṇḍa frames the practice within Narmadā-region dharma; this verse is primarily ritual-instructional.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Place a karaka (ritual pot) with kāsāra in the south-east; place an arrangement mixed with red rice in the south-west (Nairṛta).