Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 94

Devanagari script

पितृभिः सह रुद्रैश्च दक्षिणद्वारमाश्रितः । वरुणः सरितां नाथो गंगादिसरितां गणैः

Transliteration

pitṛbhiḥ saha rudraiśca dakṣiṇadvāramāśritaḥ | varuṇaḥ saritāṃ nātho gaṃgādisaritāṃ gaṇaiḥ

Translation

在南方之门，河流之主伐楼那伫立其间；与祖灵众（Pitṛ）及鲁陀罗众同伴，并有以恒河为首的诸河神群随侍。

Word by Word

• पितृभिः: with the Pitṛs (manes)
• पितृभिः: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय

• रुद्रैः: with the Rudras
• रुद्रैः: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• दक्षिणद्वारम्: the southern gate
• दक्षिणद्वारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण-द्वार (प्रातिपदिक: दक्षिण + द्वार)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आश्रितः: having resorted to; stationed at
• आश्रितः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + श्रि (धातु) → आश्रित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• वरुणः: Varuṇa
• वरुणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सरिताम्: of rivers
• सरिताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नाथः: lord
• नाथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गङ्गादिसरिताम्: of the rivers beginning with Gaṅgā
• गङ्गादिसरिताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा-आदि-सरित् (प्रातिपदिक: गङ्गा + आदि + सरित्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (आदि-समास: 'beginning with')

• गणैः: with groups/hosts
• गणैः: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Deductive: Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to sages

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā and allied sarit-gaṇa (river-host) within Śiva-kshetra symbolism

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the southern gate, Varuṇa stands with a noose and water-vessel; behind him flow personified rivers led by Gaṅgā, while Pitṛs in subtle, luminous forms and Rudras in austere aspect attend the gate facing inward.

Characters & Entities

• Varuṇa
• Pitṛs
• Rudras
• Gaṅgā
• Rivers (Sarit-gaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred waters and ancestral lineages are integrated into Śiva’s cosmic order, showing that purity and remembrance support dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā is invoked as the foremost sacred river; the verse honors river-tīrthas broadly rather than one location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the presence of Pitṛs and Gaṅgā implicitly resonates with śrāddha, tarpaṇa, and river-bathing traditions.