Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

स्थूणासहस्रसंयुक्तं मणिवेदिमनोहरम् । गणा नंदिप्रभृतयो यस्य द्वारि समाश्रिताः

Transliteration

sthūṇāsahasrasaṃyuktaṃ maṇivedimanoharam | gaṇā naṃdiprabhṛtayo yasya dvāri samāśritāḥ

Translation

Es war mit tausend Säulen versehen und durch Altäre aus Edelsteinen bezaubernd. An seinem Tor standen die Gaṇas—Nandin und andere—als Wächter aufgestellt.

Word by Word

• स्थूणासहस्रसंयुक्तम्: connected with a thousand pillars
• स्थूणासहस्रसंयुक्तम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थूणा + सहस्र + संयुक्त (कृदन्त; युज् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तृतीया/करण-तत्पुरुषः (स्थूणासहस्रेण संयुक्तम्) — 'joined with a thousand pillars'

• मणिवेदिमनोहरम्: charming with jewel-altars
• मणिवेदिमनोहरम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मणि + वेदि + मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुषः — 'charming with jewel-altars' (agreeing with मन्दिरम् understood)

• गणाः: the gaṇas
• गणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन — subject

• नन्दिप्रभृतयः: beginning with Nandi
• नन्दिप्रभृतयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दि + प्रभृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः — 'beginning with Nandi'

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — relative 'whose'

• द्वारि: at the door
• द्वारि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन — 'at the door'

• समाश्रिताः: were stationed, had taken refuge
• समाश्रिताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ+श्रि (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — 'having taken refuge/standing by'

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in a Māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mandarācala-Śiva-prāsāda (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast thousand-pillared mandapa gleams; jewel-built altars sparkle. At the main gate stand Nandin and other gaṇas as vigilant guardians, weapons and emblems visible, posture firm.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇas
• Nandin

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred space is protected and sanctified; approaching Śiva’s abode implies reverence, purity, and recognition of divine guardianship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse glorifies the temple setting within the chapter; the exact tīrtha-name is not stated in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the imagery supports temple worship and respectful entry (dvāra-sevā) as implied practice.