Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

वरुणेश्वरमुख्यानि सर्वपापहराणि च

Transliteration

varuṇeśvaramukhyāni sarvapāpaharāṇi ca

Translation

ഇവയിൽ വരുണേശ്വരൻ ഏറ്റവും പ്രധാനൻ; ഈ എല്ലാ തീർത്ഥങ്ങളും സർവ്വപാപനാശകരങ്ങളാണ്.

Word by Word

• वरुणेश्वरमुख्यानि: beginning with Varuṇeśvara (i.e., the foremost such as Varuṇeśvara)
• वरुणेश्वरमुख्यानि: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरुणेश्वर + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘(वरुणेश्वर)मुख्य’ इति समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• सर्वपापहराणि: removers of all sins
• सर्वपापहराणि: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + पाप + हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘सर्वपापहर’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Varuṇeśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim party approaches a riverside Śiva-liṅga shrine labeled Varuṇeśvara; the Revā flows nearby; other small shrines dot the bank; priests hold lamps and water-pots for abhiṣeka.

Characters & Entities

• Varuṇeśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-tīrthas are portrayed as purifiers: sincere approach to these sacred sites is said to eradicate sin and renew dharmic life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Varuṇeśvara, named as foremost among the nearby liṅga-sites.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is named; the promised fruit is general purification through tīrtha association and worship.