Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

मोकारः पृथिवी बीजो विश्वामित्रसमन्वितः । रक्तवर्णो महातेजा धनदो विनियोजितः

Transliteration

mokāraḥ pṛthivī bījo viśvāmitrasamanvitaḥ | raktavarṇo mahātejā dhanado viniyojitaḥ

Translation

‘ମୋ’ ଅକ୍ଷର ପୃଥିବୀ-ବୀଜ ବୋଲି ଘୋଷିତ, ଋଷି ବିଶ୍ୱାମିତ୍ର ସହ ସମନ୍ୱିତ। ଏହା ରକ୍ତବର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଓ ମହାତେଜସ୍ବୀ; ବିଧିପୂର୍ବକ ବିନିଯୋଗେ ଧନଦାତା ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• मोकारः: the syllable/letter 'ma/ mo' (mokāra)
• मोकारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पृथिवी: earth
• पृथिवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• बीजः: seed
• बीजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• विश्वामित्रसमन्वितः: associated with Viśvāmitra
• विश्वामित्रसमन्वितः: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्वामित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (कृदन्त; सम्+अनु+√इ/√वृ?; रूढि 'समन्वित' = endowed/associated)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle) विशेषणम्

• रक्तवर्णः: red-colored
• रक्तवर्णः: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• महातेजाः: of great splendor
• महातेजाः: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तेजस्वी)

• धनदः: giver of wealth
• धनदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक; √दा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• विनियोजितः: appointed/assigned
• विनियोजितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + नि + √युज् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced from Purāṇic māhātmya-narration style in Nāgarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at a temple courtyard performs japa of ‘mo’, visualizing a red, radiant syllable settling into the earth like a seed; Lakṣmī-like abundance (grains, coins, harvest) appears as a dhārmic boon.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mantra-practice is taught as a dhārmic discipline: specific seed-syllables are linked to cosmic elements and sages, and when applied correctly they yield ordained fruits.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse functions within a Tīrthamāhātmya chapter but here focuses on bīja-akṣara/nyāsa mapping rather than naming a distinct tīrtha in the single-verse snippet.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The syllable “mo” is prescribed for viniyoga (ritual application), described as an earth-seed connected with Viśvāmitra and used for wealth-bestowing intent.