Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मकुण्डान्मुनिवर धनुःसप्तशतेन च । पूर्वोत्तरदिशाभागे संस्थितं सरयूजले

Transliteration

brahmakuṇḍānmunivara dhanuḥsaptaśatena ca | pūrvottaradiśābhāge saṃsthitaṃ sarayūjale

Translation

ഹേ മുനിവരാ! ബ്രഹ്മകുണ്ഡത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ഏഴുനൂറ് ധനുസ്സിന്റെ ദൂരത്തിൽ, ഈശാന ദിശാഭാഗത്ത്, അത് സരയൂജലത്തിനുള്ളിൽ സ്ഥിതിചെയ്യുന്നു.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मकुण्डात्: from Brahma-kuṇḍa
• ब्रह्मकुण्डात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (ablative singular); तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणः कुण्डम्)

• मुनिवर: O best of sages
• मुनिवर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

• धनुःसप्तशतेन: by a measure of seven hundred bows
• धनुःसप्तशतेन: Karana (Measure/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् + सप्तशत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (instrumental singular); तत्पुरुषः (धनुषां सप्तशतम् = 700 bows’ measure)

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

• पूर्वोत्तरदिशाभागे: in the northeastern part/direction
• पूर्वोत्तरदिशाभागे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व + उत्तर + दिशा + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (locative singular); तत्पुरुषः (पूर्वोत्तरायाः दिशः भागः)

• संस्थितम्: situated
• संस्थितम्: Kriya (Predicative/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-स्था (√स्था धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (situated)

• सरयूजले: in the waters of the Sarayū
• सरयूजले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरयू + जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (locative singular); तत्पुरुषः (सरय्वाः जलम्)

Speaker

Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ṛṇamocana-tīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Addressed as ‘munivara’ (best of sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A schematic yet sacred view: Brahmakuṇḍa as a focal node, with a path/river-current leading to the north-east where Ṛṇamocana lies in Sarayū waters; pilgrims move with lamps and waterpots.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmakuṇḍa
• Ṛṇamocana-tīrtha (implied)
• Sarayū

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa functions as a sacred travel guide, giving measurable directions so pilgrims can locate merit-bearing sites precisely.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ṛṇamocana-tīrtha, described by its distance from Brahmakuṇḍa and its placement in the Sarayū.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is a geographic specification (distance and direction).