Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

तत्र निर्झरनिर्घातनिर्भिन्ने वप्र कुट्टिमे । निधानकलशं स्थूलं प्रस्फुरंतं ददर्श ह

Transliteration

tatra nirjharanirghātanirbhinne vapra kuṭṭime | nidhānakalaśaṃ sthūlaṃ prasphuraṃtaṃ dadarśa ha

Translation

അവിടെ വെള്ളച്ചാട്ടത്തിന്റെ പ്രഹരത്താൽ പൊട്ടിത്തുറന്ന കുന്നിൻ കല്ലുകെട്ടിനുള്ളിൽ, തിളങ്ങുന്ന വലിയ നിധികലശം അവൻ കണ്ടു.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• निर्झरनिर्घातनिर्भिन्ने: in (a place) broken open by the impact of a waterfall
• निर्झरनिर्घातनिर्भिन्ने: Adhikarana (Qualifier of locus/अधिकरण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्झर + निर्घात + नि-√भिद् (धातु) → निर्भिन्न (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘निर्भिन्न’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः (निर्झरस्य निर्घातेन निर्भिन्नम्) तत्पुरुष-परम्परा; विशेषणम्

• वप्रकुट्टिमे: on the paved surface of the rampart/embankment
• वप्रकुट्टिमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वप्र + कुट्टिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (वप्रस्य कुट्टिमम्)

• निधानकलशम्: a treasure-jar
• निधानकलशम्: Karma (Object seen/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधान + कलश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (निधानस्य कलशः)

• स्थूलम्: large
• स्थूलम्: Karma (Qualifier of object/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• प्रस्फुरन्तम्: shining/trembling (visibly)
• प्रस्फुरन्तम्: Karma (Qualifier of object/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-√स्फुर् (धातु) → प्रस्फुरत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed/for emphasis
• ह: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पदपूरण/निपात (expletive particle)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A broken stonework mound near a roaring waterfall; within the cracked masonry a large treasure-jar gleams. The boy stands astonished, light reflecting on his face and the wet rocks.

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇa boy (implied)
• waterfall/spring
• treasure jar (nidhāna-kalaśa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Providence in Purāṇic dharma often manifests through unexpected discoveries, preparing the devotee for dharmic choices.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha is specified; the setting is a riverbank with a waterfall/spring.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse narrates a discovery (nidhāna-kalaśa) rather than prescribing a rite.