Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

भूतप्रकृतिरूपा त्वं महाभूतसमाश्रिता । अपर्णा तपसां धात्री भूतधात्री वसुन्धरा

Transliteration

bhūtaprakṛtirūpā tvaṃ mahābhūtasamāśritā | aparṇā tapasāṃ dhātrī bhūtadhātrī vasundharā

Translation

നീ സർവ്വഭൂതങ്ങളുടെ പ്രകൃതി-സ്വരൂപിണി, മഹാഭൂതങ്ങളിൽ സ്ഥാപിതയായവൾ. നീ അപർണാ—തപസ്സുകളുടെ ധാത്രി, ജീവികളുടെ ധാത്രി, സ്വയം വസുന്ധര (ഭൂമി) ആകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• bhūta-prakṛti-rūpā: having the form of the nature of beings/elements
• bhūta-prakṛti-rūpā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + prakṛti (प्रकृति प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (रूप प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (भूत-प्रकृति) + तत्पुरुष (…-रूप); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (feminine nominative singular; having the form of elemental nature)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (युष्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (pronoun, nominative singular)

• mahā-bhūta-samāśritā: supported by the great elements
• mahā-bhūta-samāśritā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + samā-√śri (श्रि धातु) (कृदन्त: क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (महाभूत) + उपपद-तत्पुरुष (…-समाश्रिता); क्त-कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (feminine nominative singular; having resorted to/abiding in the great elements)

• aparṇā: Aparṇā (name of the Goddess)
• aparṇā: Pradhāna-nāma (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aparṇā (अपर्णा प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (feminine nominative singular; proper epithet)

• tapasām: of austerities
• tapasām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (तपस् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन (neuter genitive plural)

• dhātrī: supporter, sustainer
• dhātrī: Pradhāna-nāma (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √dhā (धा धातु) (कृदन्त: तृन्/तृ)
• Form: तृन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (agent noun); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (feminine nominative singular)

• bhūta-dhātrī: sustainer of beings
• bhūta-dhātrī: Pradhāna-nāma (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + √dhā (धा धातु) (कृदन्त: तृन्/तृ)
• Form: तत्पुरुष; तृन्-कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (feminine nominative singular)

• vasundharā: Earth (Vasundharā)
• vasundharā: Pradhāna-nāma (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasundharā (वसुन्धरा प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (feminine nominative singular; epithet)

Speaker

Devas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A hymn-scene: devotees praise the Goddess as Earth itself—mountains, rivers, forests, and the five elements subtly forming her cosmic body; she appears as Aparṇā, serene, sustaining ascetics and beings.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Aparṇā
• Vasundharā (Earth)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Goddess is praised as both transcendent and immanent—present as nature, elements, austerity-power, and the sustaining earth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is stated in this verse; it supports the larger māhātmya by establishing Devī’s universal presence in sacred landscapes.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it is a stuti verse intended for praise/recitation.