Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24
शरीरेष्वपि भूतानां त्वं देवि प्रथमं स्थिता । ततश्चान्यानि भूतानि जलादीनि वसुन्धरे
śarīreṣvapi bhūtānāṃ tvaṃ devi prathamaṃ sthitā | tataścānyāni bhūtāni jalādīni vasundhare
हे देवी! प्राण्यांच्या शरीरांतही तूच प्रथम स्थित असतेस. त्यानंतर, हे वसुंधरे! जल इत्यादी अन्य भूत/तत्त्वे प्रकट होतात.
Yajamāna/Devotee (continuing the prayer)
Tirtha: Vasundharā/Medinī (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A didactic tableau: the Earth goddess stands as the base layer within a translucent human form; above her appear water, fire, air, and space as successive luminous bands or symbols.
FAQs
Earth is honored as the foundational support for embodied life; gratitude toward that foundation is dharma.
The praise is universal (Earth as principle), embedded within a tīrtha-oriented ritual chapter.
A doctrinal praise (stuti) recited during the offering, affirming Earth’s primacy among the elements.