Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

वासुकिस्तक्षको घोरः सार्प ऐरावतस्तथा । कालियश्च महाभागः कर्कोटकधनंजयौ

Transliteration

vāsukistakṣako ghoraḥ sārpa airāvatastathā | kāliyaśca mahābhāgaḥ karkoṭakadhanaṃjayau

Translation

วาสุกิ ตักษกผู้ดุร้าย สารปะ และไอราวตะ; อีกทั้งกาลิยะผู้มีบุญ พร้อมด้วยกรโกฏกะและธนัญชยะ—

Word by Word

• वासुकिः: Vāsuki
• वासुकिः: Karta (Listed subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुकि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• तक्षकः: Takṣaka
• तक्षकः: Karta (Listed subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• घोरः: terrible
• घोरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (तक्षकः)

• सार्पः: Sārpa (a serpent name)
• सार्पः: Karta (Listed subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; सर्पजातीयः (a serpent)

• ऐरावतः: Airāvata
• ऐरावतः: Karta (Listed subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐरावत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Conjunctive particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/also; adverb/particle)

• कालियः: Kāliya
• कालियः: Karta (Listed subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक conjunction)

• महाभागः: very fortunate/noble
• महाभागः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास; विशेषण (कालियः)

• कर्कोटकः: Karkoṭaka
• कर्कोटकः: Karta (Listed subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्कोटक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• धनंजयौ: the two named Dhanaṃjaya
• धनंजयौ: Karta (Listed subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarpātīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tableau of the named nāgas—Vāsuki, Takṣaka, Airāvata, Kāliya, Karkoṭaka, Dhanaṃjaya—each distinguished by hood patterning and ornaments, gathered at a river ford in ascetic radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Vāsuki
• Takṣaka
• Airāvata (Nāga)
• Kāliya
• Karkoṭaka
• Dhanaṃjaya
• Sarpa (Nāga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse situates Sarpa-tīrtha within a sacred mythic ecology, showing revered beings connected to the place.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The context continues the glorification of Sarpa-tīrtha by naming prominent nāgas associated with it.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it provides sacred-personage enumeration (nāga names).