Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

प्रासादैः स्फाटिकैश्चैव कैलासशिखरोपमैः । पताकाशोभितैर्दिव्यैः समंतात्परिवारितम्

Transliteration

prāsādaiḥ sphāṭikaiścaiva kailāsaśikharopamaiḥ | patākāśobhitairdivyaiḥ samaṃtātparivāritam

Translation

চারিদিকে স্ফটিকসম প্রাসাদে পরিবেষ্টিত ছিল, যা কৈলাসশিখরের ন্যায়; দিভ্য পতাকায় শোভিত হয়ে তা অপূর্ব দীপ্তি ছড়াত।

Word by Word

• प्रासादैः: with palaces
• प्रासादैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāsāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (instr. pl.)

• स्फाटिकैः: crystal(-like)
• स्फाटिकैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sphāṭika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (instr. pl.); विशेषणम् (प्रासादानाम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (indeed/only)

• कैलास-शिखर-उपमैः: like the summit of Kailāsa
• कैलास-शिखर-उपमैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kailāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + śikhara (प्रातिपदिक) + upama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (instr. pl.); तत्पुरुषः (कैलासस्य शिखरस्य उपमैः = comparable to the peak of Kailāsa); विशेषणम् (प्रासादानाम्)

• पताका-शोभितैः: adorned with banners
• पताका-शोभितैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: patākā (प्रातिपदिक) + śobhita (कृदन्त, √śubh)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (instr. pl.); तत्पुरुषः (पताकाभिः शोभितैः = adorned with banners)

• दिव्यैः: divine / splendid
• दिव्यैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (instr. pl.); विशेषणम् (पताकाशोभितैः/प्रासादैः)

• समन्तात्: on all sides
• समन्तात्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samantāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (on all sides/from all around)

• परिवारितम्: surrounded / enclosed
• परिवारितम्: Kriya (State/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari√vṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन (acc./nom. sg. neut.); विशेषणम् (नगरस्य)

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration context from 12.1)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circular panorama: crystal palaces rise like snowy Kailāsa peaks; divine banners flutter from rooftops and gateways, encircling the city in celebratory splendor.

Characters & Entities

• Kailāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

By likening the city to Kailāsa, the text suggests that a dharmic, sanctified place mirrors divine realms and elevates the pilgrim’s mind.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A sacred city within the Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya is praised; the excerpt does not provide the site’s proper name.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive, emphasizing divine surroundings and auspicious banners.