Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

तत्र रूक्षाऽखिला भूमिर्निर्जला तमसा वृता । चीरिकोलूकगृधाढ्या शीर्षच्छायाविवर्जिता

Transliteration

tatra rūkṣā'khilā bhūmirnirjalā tamasā vṛtā | cīrikolūkagṛdhāḍhyā śīrṣacchāyāvivarjitā

Translation

అక్కడ సమస్త భూమి రూక్షమై నీరు లేకుండా, చీకటితో కప్పబడి ఉండెను; చిలిపి పక్షుల కూయుట, గుడ్లగూబలు, గద్దలు విరివిగా ఉండి, పై నుండి నీడ ఆశ్రయం లేనిది।

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषणम् (indeclinable; locative adverb ‘there’)

• रूक्षा: dry, rough
• रूक्षा: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (feminine, nominative singular; adjective)

• अखिला: entire
• अखिला: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (feminine, nominative singular; adjective)

• भूमिः: ground, land
• भूमिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (feminine, nominative singular)

• निर्जला: waterless
• निर्जला: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + जल (प्रातिपदिक) → निर्जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (feminine, nominative singular; adjective)

• तमसा: by darkness
• तमसा: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन (neuter, instrumental singular)

• वृता: covered
• वृता: Visheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृ (धातु) → वृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (past participle; feminine nominative singular; adjective)

• चीरिकोलूकगृधाढ्या: abounding in cīri-birds, owls, and vultures
• चीरिकोलूकगृधाढ्या: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चीरि (प्रातिपदिक) + उलूक (प्रातिपदिक) + गृध्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (feminine, nominative singular; adjective)

• शीर्षच्छायाविवर्जिता: devoid of shade overhead
• शीर्षच्छायाविवर्जिता: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + छाया (प्रातिपदिक) + विवर्जित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (feminine, nominative singular; adjective)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A bleak, shade-less plain under a dim, dusty sky; cracked earth, no water, silhouettes of owls and vultures perched on thorny branches; oppressive darkness despite daytime.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic path often moves through inner and outer dryness; the absence of water and shade hints at the need for the cooling refuge of dharma and tīrtha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly named here; it is part of the environmental portrayal leading toward the tīrtha’s significance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.