Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

सुसमायां पृथिव्यां च दिग्भागे पूर्वदक्षिणे । यज्ञियस्य तु वृक्षस्य स्थाप्यं स्यान्मुंडकद्वयम्

Transliteration

susamāyāṃ pṛthivyāṃ ca digbhāge pūrvadakṣiṇe | yajñiyasya tu vṛkṣasya sthāpyaṃ syānmuṃḍakadvayam

Translation

സമമായ നിലത്തിൽ, അഗ്നേയ ദിക്കിൽ, യജ്ഞയോഗ്യമായ വൃക്ഷത്തിൽ നിന്നുണ്ടാക്കിയ രണ്ട് ‘മുണ്ടക’ (തൂൺ/കട്ട) സ്ഥാപിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• सुसमायाम्: on an even/level (ground)
• सुसमायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुसमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी (locative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणार्थे (as qualifier)

• पृथिव्याम्: on the earth/ground
• पृथिव्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी (locative), एकवचनम्

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

• दिग्भागे: in a direction-sector
• दिग्भागे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिक् + भाग (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी (locative), एकवचनम्; दिकः भागः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• पूर्वदक्षिणे: in the east-south (southeast)
• पूर्वदक्षिणे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व + दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी (locative), एकवचनम्; द्वन्द्वसमासः (east and south)

• यज्ञियस्य: of the sacrificial
• यज्ञियस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यज्ञिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bheda (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle: but/indeed)

• वृक्षस्य: of the tree
• वृक्षस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचनम्

• स्थाप्यम्: to be placed / should be set up
• स्थाप्यम्: Kriyā-sādhya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (Gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्; विधेयभावः

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• मुण्डकद्वयम्: a pair of muṇḍakas (two stumps/posts)
• मुण्डकद्वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुण्डक + द्वय (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचनम्; द्वयम् (two) इति संख्यावाचक-तत्पुरुषः

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cleared, level earthen ground marked with directional lines; in the southeast quadrant two freshly cut yajñiya-wood posts (muṇḍakas) are being set; priests hold kusa grass and water pots; the sun angle suggests auspicious timing.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even judgment must be dharma-governed: procedures are to be performed carefully, in purity and proper orientation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse gives a procedural instruction for an ordeal apparatus.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Erecting two posts (muṇḍaka-dvaya) on level ground in the southeast, using yajñiya (ritually suitable) wood.