Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

परितः स्थंडिलं दिक्षु सर्वरत्नमयं तु ते । तत्र हृष्टाश्चाप्सरसो ननृतुर्दशधा शुभाः

Transliteration

paritaḥ sthaṃḍilaṃ dikṣu sarvaratnamayaṃ tu te | tatra hṛṣṭāścāpsaraso nanṛturdaśadhā śubhāḥ

Translation

Ringsum, in allen Himmelsrichtungen, bereiteten sie eine heilige, ebene Stätte, mit allerlei Edelsteinen geschmückt. Dort tanzten die glückverheißenden Apsaras, voller Freude, in zehnfacher Ordnung.

Word by Word

• परितः: all around
• परितः: Kriya-vishesana (Spatial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परितः (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• स्थंडिलम्: altar-ground/level ground
• स्थंडिलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थण्डिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• दिक्षु: in the directions
• दिक्षु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• सर्वरत्नमयम्: made of all gems
• सर्वरत्नमयम्: Karma-vishesana (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + रत्न + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); ‘रत्नैः मयम्’ (made of gems) with सर्व- (all)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोध-अव्यय (particle)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• हृष्टाः: delighted
• हृष्टाः: Karta-vishesana (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष् (धातु) → हृष्ट (कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त/PPP)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine) (agreeing with अप्सरसः)

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

• अप्सरसः: Apsarases
• अप्सरसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• ननृतुः: danced
• ननृतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नृत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• दशधा: in ten ways
• दशधा: Kriya-vishesana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दशधा (अव्यय)
• Form: संख्या-प्रकार-अव्यय (adverb: in ten ways)

• शुभाः: auspicious/beautiful
• शुभाः: Karta-vishesana (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); विशेषण (of अप्सरसः)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ratna-sthāṇḍila around Jaya-stambha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A jewel-adorned sacred platform is formed in all directions around the pillar; ten groups of Apsarases dance joyfully, filling the space with rhythmic symmetry.

Characters & Entities

• Apsarases
• Sthaṇḍila (ritual ground)
• Ratna (jewels)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When a place is consecrated, it becomes a festive sacred landscape—beauty and devotion together mark the descent of divine auspiciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The consecrated precinct around the victory-pillar (future Stambheśvara area) is described as a jewel-like sacred ground.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Preparation of a sthaṇḍila (ritual platform/level ground) as part of the installation festivities.