Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

मत्तवारणजुष्टानि दीर्घिकासहितानि च । गृहोद्यानैः समेतानि यथा राजगृहाणि च

Transliteration

mattavāraṇajuṣṭāni dīrghikāsahitāni ca | gṛhodyānaiḥ sametāni yathā rājagṛhāṇi ca

Translation

Jene Häuser glichen königlichen Residenzen: von berauschten Elefanten besucht, mit langen Wasserbecken versehen und mit Hausgärten ausgestattet — wie die Häuser eines Königs.

Word by Word

• मत्त: intoxicated
• मत्त: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Nominative, Plural)

• वारण: elephants
• वारण: Sambandha (Genitival/सम्बन्ध within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (compound-member; Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• जुष्टानि: frequented/inhabited
• जुष्टानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जुष्ट (कृदन्त; धातु √जुष् (सेवने) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Neuter, Nominative, Plural; past passive participle)

• दीर्घिका: tanks/ponds
• दीर्घिका: Sambandha (Associative within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीर्घिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचन (compound-member; Feminine, Instrumental, Plural)

• सहितानि: accompanied (with)
• सहितानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित (कृदन्त; धातु √सह् (सहने/सहभावे) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Nominative, Plural; 'accompanied with')

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

• गृह: houses
• गृह: Sambandha (Compound-member relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचन (compound-member; Neuter, Instrumental, Plural)

• उद्यानैः: with gardens
• उद्यानैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Plural)

• समेतानि: endowed/combined
• समेतानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समेत (कृदन्त; धातु √इ (गत्यर्थे) उपसर्ग सम् + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Nominative, Plural; 'provided/combined with')

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक अव्यय (comparative indeclinable)

• राज: of a king/royal
• राज: Sambandha (Genitival within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासपूर्वपद (compound-member; Masculine stem)

• गृहाणि: royal houses/palaces
• गृहाणि: Upameya (Object compared/उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (राजगृह = राज्ञः गृह) (Neuter, Nominative, Plural)

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

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal-like cityscape: mansions with inner gardens, long lotus-filled tanks, and intoxicated elephants moving through broad streets, suggesting festive prosperity and regal order.

Characters & Entities

• houses
• elephants (vāraṇa)
• ponds/tanks (dīrghikā)
• gardens (udyāna)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma-centered generosity is not minimal; it aims at dignified well-being for those who sustain yajña, teaching, and sacred life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the Adhyāya 113 sacred-settlement narrative in Nāgarakhaṇḍa; the tīrtha name is not provided in this shloka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual prescription appears here; it describes the prosperity and facilities of the dwellings established in the sacred region.