Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

श्रमादजायत स्वेदो गङ्गातोयविमिश्रितम् । पतन्तमुरगोऽश्नाति हरमौलिविनिर्गतम्

Transliteration

śramādajāyata svedo gaṅgātoyavimiśritam | patantamurago'śnāti haramaulivinirgatam

Translation

ശ്രമത്തിൽ നിന്ന് വിയർപ്പ് ഉദിച്ചു; അത് ഗംഗാജലവുമായി കലർന്ന് ഹരന്റെ ജടാമൗലിയിൽ നിന്ന് പുറപ്പെട്ടു ഒഴുകി. താഴെ വീഴുമ്പോൾ അതിനെ സർപ്പം കുടിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• श्रमात्: from exertion
• श्रमात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अजायत: arose / was produced
• अजायत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• स्वेदः: sweat
• स्वेदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गङ्गातोयविमिश्रितम्: mixed with the water of the Gaṅgā
• गङ्गातोयविमिश्रितम्: Karta (as predicate adjective of sweat)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + तोय (प्रातिपदिक) + वि- मिश्र (धातु) + क्त; विमिश्रित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (स्वेदस्य); तत्पुरुषः (गङ्गायाः तोयेन विमिश्रितम् = mixed with Ganges-water)

• पतन्तम्: falling
• पतन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु) + शतृ; पतन्त् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• उरगः: the serpent
• उरगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अश्नाति: eats / drinks
• अश्नाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• हरमौलिविनिर्गतम्: that which issued from Hara’s (Śiva’s) head/crest
• हरमौलिविनिर्गतम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक) + मौलि (प्रातिपदिक) + वि-निर्-गम् (धातु) + क्त; विनिर्गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (पतन्तम्/स्वेदम्); तत्पुरुषः (हरस्य मौलेः विनिर्गतम् = issued from Hara's crest)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (narration, implied by immediate context of the Adhyāya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śiva-jaṭā-gaṅgā-sparśa-jala (as nidāna for Vāsukīśa)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva’s dance produces sweat mingled with Gaṅgā-water flowing from his matted crown; as the drops fall, a serpent drinks them reverently.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Hara (Śiva)
• Uraga (serpent)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even what arises from divine contact—here, from Śiva’s crown and Gaṅgā’s water—becomes a potent, sacred medium, emphasizing the purifying power of holy waters and Śiva’s presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse invokes Gaṅgā’s sanctity and Śiva’s jaṭā; within this Adhyāya’s arc it prepares the turn toward Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha-instruction, though this specific verse itself centers on Gaṅgā and Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed here; it is narrative groundwork for later tīrtha guidance in the same chapter.