Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

दशायुतसमुच्छ्रायं सौरेः सप्तर्षिमंडलम् । सप्तर्षिभ्यः सहस्राणां शतादूर्ध्वं ध्रुवस्थितः

Transliteration

daśāyutasamucchrāyaṃ saureḥ saptarṣimaṃḍalam | saptarṣibhyaḥ sahasrāṇāṃ śatādūrdhvaṃ dhruvasthitaḥ

Translation

శని (సౌరి) పైగా పది వేల యోజనాల ఎత్తులో సప్తర్షి మండలం నిలిచియున్నది; సప్తర్షుల నుండి లక్ష యోజనాలు పైగా ధ్రువ నక్షత్రం అచలంగా స్థితమైయున్నది।

Word by Word

• daśāyuta-samucchrāyam: having a height of ten ayutas
• daśāyuta-samucchrāyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक) + āyuta (प्रातिपदिक) + samucchrāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—समुच्छ्रायम् (height) इत्यर्थे

• saureḥ: of Sauri (Saturn)
• saureḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• saptarṣi-maṇḍalam: the constellation/orb of the Seven Sages
• saptarṣi-maṇḍalam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sapta (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + maṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• saptarṣibhyaḥ: from the Seven Sages
• saptarṣibhyaḥ: Apadana (Ablative source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sapta (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), बहुवचन

• sahasrāṇām: of thousands
• sahasrāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• śatāt: from a hundred
• śatāt: Apadana (Ablative source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• ūrdhvam: above
• ūrdhvam: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय—क्रियाविशेषणम् (दिशा/स्थानवाचक)

• dhruva-sthitaḥ: fixed/steadily situated
• dhruva-sthitaḥ: Karta (Subject complement/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक) + sthita (कृदन्त; √sthā धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

Skanda

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and other ṛṣis (typical Naimiṣāraṇya frame) or a brāhmaṇa addressee as in verse

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vertical cosmic column: below, the dark-blue orb of Śani; above it the luminous ring of the Seven Ṛṣis; far above, Dhruva as a brilliant, unmoving star at the apex, with subtle concentric spheres.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Śani (Sauri)
• Saptarṣi-maṇḍala
• Dhruva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dhruva’s steadiness symbolizes spiritual steadfastness; higher realms are associated with stability, discipline, and dharmic constancy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is referenced; the verse is cosmological.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.