Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

यमो विभीतकं चैव बकुलं नैरृताधिपः । वरुणः खर्जुरीवृक्षं पूगवृक्षं च मारुतः

Transliteration

yamo vibhītakaṃ caiva bakulaṃ nairṛtādhipaḥ | varuṇaḥ kharjurīvṛkṣaṃ pūgavṛkṣaṃ ca mārutaḥ

Translation

യമൻ വിഭീതക വൃക്ഷത്തിൽ വസിക്കുന്നു; നൈഋതി ദിക്കിന്റെ അധിപൻ ബകുല വൃക്ഷത്തിൽ. വരുണൻ ഖർജൂരി (ഈന്തപ്പന) വൃക്ഷത്തിൽ, മാരുതൻ (വായു) പൂഗ (സുപാരി) വൃക്ഷത്തിൽ അധിഷ്ഠിതനാണ്.

Word by Word

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• विभीतकम्: bibhītaka tree (Terminalia bellirica)
• विभीतकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभीतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (indeed)

• बकुलम्: bakula tree
• बकुलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• नैरृताधिपः: lord of the Nirṛti quarter
• नैरृताधिपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैरृत + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नैरृतस्य अधिपः)

• वरुणः: Varuṇa
• वरुणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• खर्जुरीवृक्षम्: date-palm tree
• खर्जुरीवृक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खर्जूरी + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (खर्जूर्याः वृक्षः)

• पूगवृक्षम्: areca-nut tree
• पूगवृक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूग + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पूगस्य वृक्षः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• मारुतः: Māruta (wind-god)
• मारुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bahula (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred grove arranged like a directional maṇḍala: Yama in a vibhītaka, Nirṛti’s lord in a bakula, Varuṇa in a date-palm, and Vāyu in an areca—each tree subtly marked by its deity’s emblem and direction.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Nairṛtādhipa (guardian of the southwest)
• Varuṇa
• Māruta (Vāyu)
• Vibhītaka tree
• Bakula tree
• Kharjurī (date palm)
• Pūga (areca)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic order (dharma) is mirrored in nature: direction-guardians and deities are linked with particular trees, making the landscape itself a mandala of worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This is part of the Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya’s mapping of sacred flora; it does not name a single tīrtha in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the teaching supports tree-veneration and mindful conduct within sacred precincts.