Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

विचित्रेणैकचक्रेण सप्तसप्तियुतेन च । अनूरुणाधिष्ठितेन पुरतोधृतरश्मिना

Transliteration

vicitreṇaikacakreṇa saptasaptiyutena ca | anūruṇādhiṣṭhitena puratodhṛtaraśminā

Translation

Với cỗ xe một bánh kỳ diệu, được thắng bởi bảy tuấn mã; có Anūruṇa làm người đánh xe, và các tia quang minh giương ra phía trước—

Word by Word

• विचित्रेण: with a wondrous
• विचित्रेण: Karana (Instrumental qualifier/करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies चक्रेण/स्यन्दनेन implied)

• एक: single
• एक: Samasa-angam (Compound member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• चक्रेण: with a single wheel
• चक्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘एकचक्रेण’ = एकं चक्रं यस्य/येन (with a single wheel)

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Samasa-angam (Compound member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• सप्ति: horses
• सप्ति: Samasa-angam (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासाङ्ग; ‘सप्ति’ = अश्व (horse)

• युतेन: joined with seven horses
• युतेन: Karana (Instrumental qualifier/करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सप्तसप्तियुतेन’ = सप्तसप्तिभिः युतः (joined with seven horses)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/Conjunction)

• अनूरुणा: by Anūruṇā
• अनूरुणा: Karana (Instrumental in compound relation/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनूरुणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘अनूरुणा’ = अरुणस्य अनुजा (Aruna’s younger sister; charioteer’s wife/associated figure)

• अधिष्ठितेन: occupied/controlled
• अधिष्ठितेन: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधि-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘mounted/occupied/controlled’

• पुरतः: in front
• पुरतः: Desha-adhikarana (Locative sense/देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb): ‘in front’

• धृत: held
• धृत: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘held’ (qualifies रश्मिना)

• रश्मिना: with reins held in front
• रश्मिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रश्मि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘पुरतो-धृत-रश्मिना’ = पुरतः धृतः रश्मिः येन (with reins held in front)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration to Agastya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūrya’s wondrous chariot appears: a single wheel, seven horses, Aruṇa as charioteer; rays extend forward like banners of light.

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya (implied by chariot description)
• Anūruṇa/Aruṇa
• Seven horses

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Sun is revered as a cosmic ruler whose orderly motion and radiance symbolize dharma sustaining the worlds.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No earthly site is named; the verse praises the divine iconography of Sūrya’s chariot.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a descriptive glorification of Sūrya’s form and vehicle.