Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

तकारो विद्युद्विकारः सोमबीजं महत्स्मृतम् । अंगिरावर्द्धमूलं च वर्जितं कर्मका मिकम् १

Transliteration

takāro vidyudvikāraḥ somabījaṃ mahatsmṛtam | aṃgirāvarddhamūlaṃ ca varjitaṃ karmakā mikam 1

Translation

พยางค์ “ตะ” ส่องวาบดุจสายฟ้า ระลึกกันว่าเป็นพีชะอันยิ่งใหญ่แห่งโสมะ มีรากในสายอังคิรัสและเพิ่มพูนฐานราก แต่ผู้ถูกขับด้วยกามแห่งกรรมพิธีและโลกีย์พึงเว้นเสีย

Word by Word

• तकारः: the syllable ‘ta’
• तकारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विद्युद्विकारः: a transformation like lightning
• विद्युद्विकारः: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्युत् + विकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विद्युतः विकारः)

• सोमबीजम्: the seed (mantra) of Soma
• सोमबीजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम + बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सोमस्य बीजम्)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (somabījam)

• स्मृतम्: is remembered/said
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/आख्यातार्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘स्मृत’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘is remembered/called’

• अङ्गिरा: Aṅgiras
• अङ्गिरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (ऋषिनाम)

• वर्द्धमूलम्: having an increased root/base
• वर्द्धमूलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्द्ध + मूल (प्रातिपदिक); वर्ध् (धातु) (अर्थ-सम्बन्ध)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः ‘वृद्धं/वर्धितं मूलं यस्य’ (अर्थतः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वर्जितम्: is to be avoided/omitted
• वर्जितम्: Kriya (Predicate/आख्यातार्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘वर्जित’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘is avoided/omitted’

• कर्मकामिकम्: desirous of ritual action (worldly rites)
• कर्मकामिकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्म + कामिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; ‘कर्मणि कामः यस्य/कर्मकामः’ इत्यर्थे

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage instructs a pilgrim-priest on the lightning-flash syllable ‘ta’ as Soma-bīja; a subtle warning gesture indicates avoidance for desire-driven ritualists; faint moon-disc and electric streaks hover above a palm-leaf manuscript.

Characters & Entities

• Soma
• Aṅgiras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma distinguishes higher mantra-practice from desire-driven ritualism; intention (kāma vs. liberation) governs what should be adopted or avoided.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is a mantra-vidhi statement inside a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter; it does not itself name a specific pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

“Ta” is identified as Soma’s seed; yet it is said to be varjita (avoided) for practitioners motivated by kāmya-karma (desire-based ritual aims).