Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वा विरूपाक्षश्चक्रे कुंडं ततः परम् । शुद्धस्फटिकसंकाशं सुस्वादुक्षीरवत्प्रियम्

Transliteration

evamuktvā virūpākṣaścakre kuṃḍaṃ tataḥ param | śuddhasphaṭikasaṃkāśaṃ susvādukṣīravatpriyam

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞ് വിരൂപാക്ഷൻ (ശിവൻ) തുടർന്ന് ഒരു പുണ്യകുണ്ഡം നിർമ്മിച്ചു. അത് ശുദ്ധസ്ഫടികംപോലെ ദീപ്തമായിരുന്നു; അതിലെ ജലം പാലുപോലെ മധുരം—എല്ലാവർക്കും പ്രിയം.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘उक्त्वा’ = having said

• विरूपाक्षः: Virūpākṣa (the one with unusual eyes)
• विरूपाक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरूप-अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः ‘विरूपे अक्षिणी यस्य सः’

• चक्रे: made; created
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कुण्डम्: a pond/pit (kuṇḍa)
• कुण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रम/अपादानार्थक (then; from there)

• परम्: excellent; supreme
• परम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘कुण्डम्’

• शुद्धस्फटिकसंकाशम्: resembling pure crystal
• शुद्धस्फटिकसंकाशम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध-स्फटिक-संकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘कुण्डम्’; ‘शुद्धस्य स्फटिकस्य संकाशम्’ (like pure crystal)

• सुस्वादुक्षीरवत्प्रियम्: pleasant, like delicious milk
• सुस्वादुक्षीरवत्प्रियम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-स्वादु-क्षीर-वत्-प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘कुण्डम्’; ‘सुस्वादु क्षीरवत् प्रियम्’ (dear/pleasant like sweet milk)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Tīrthamāhātmya; Śiva is the acting deity in the verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Virūpākṣa-kunda

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva (Virūpākṣa) completes the creation of a kunda; the water gleams like flawless crystal, with a gentle milky sheen suggesting sweetness and auspiciousness.

Characters & Entities

• Virūpākṣa (Śiva)
• Kuṇḍa (sacred pond)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha is not merely geography; it is sanctified by divine presence, and its purity symbolizes inner purification for the pilgrim.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A Śaiva kuṇḍa associated with Virūpākṣa/Śiva, later connected in this adhyāya with Kedāra (Kedāra-tīrtha).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated here; the verse establishes the tīrtha’s extraordinary purity and sweetness, preparing for later ritual instructions.