Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

सप्त सप्तसु द्वीपेषु तेन पुत्राः प्रतिष्ठिताः । जंबूद्वीपाधिपो ज्येष्ठ आग्नीध्र इति विश्रुतः

Transliteration

sapta saptasu dvīpeṣu tena putrāḥ pratiṣṭhitāḥ | jaṃbūdvīpādhipo jyeṣṭha āgnīdhra iti viśrutaḥ

Translation

ସେ ସାତଟି ଦ୍ୱୀପରେ ନିଜ ପୁତ୍ରମାନଙ୍କୁ ଶାସକ ଭାବେ ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠା କଲେ। ଜ୍ୟେଷ୍ଠ ଆଗ୍ନୀଧ୍ର ଜମ୍ବୁଦ୍ୱୀପର ଅଧିପତି ଭାବେ ପ୍ରସିଦ୍ଧ ହେଲେ।

Word by Word

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (विशेषण/quantifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective), बहुवचनार्थे (used with plural)

• सप्तसु: in the seven
• सप्तसु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location; with द्वीपेषु)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन; संख्याशब्दः (numeral used substantively)

• द्वीपेषु: in the islands/continents
• द्वीपेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (करण/agent-instrument; ‘by him’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पुत्राः: sons
• पुत्राः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• प्रतिष्ठिताः: were established
• प्रतिष्ठिताः: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘established/installed’

• जंबूद्वीपाधिपः: lord of Jambūdvīpa
• जंबूद्वीपाधिपः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जंबूद्वीप-अधिप (प्रातिपदिक; जंबूद्वीप + अधिप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ज्येष्ठः: eldest
• ज्येष्ठः: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) अधिपस्य

• आग्नीध्रः: Āgnīdhra
• आग्नीध्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; name)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आग्नीध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इति: thus/so-called
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/निरूपण-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• विश्रुतः: is renowned
• विश्रुतः: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘well-known’

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced: Māheśvara Khaṇḍa narration to sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jambūdvīpa (cosmic region)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmographic tableau: seven concentric dvīpas with oceans between; Priyavrata’s sons placed as rulers; Jambūdvīpa highlighted with Āgnīdhra enthroned at its center.

Characters & Entities

• Jambūdvīpa
• Āgnīdhra
• Seven Dvīpas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

World-order is upheld through dharmic governance; cosmic geography and righteous rule are interlinked in Purāṇic vision.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Jambūdvīpa as a sacred cosmic continent is referenced; no single localized tīrtha is singled out.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes the installation of rulers across the dvīpas.