Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

नानाजलजफुल्लाभिर्दीर्घिका भिरलंकृते । हंससारससंघुष्टे चक्रवाकोपशोभिते

Transliteration

nānājalajaphullābhirdīrghikā bhiralaṃkṛte | haṃsasārasasaṃghuṣṭe cakravākopaśobhite

Translation

Er war geschmückt mit vielen langgestreckten Teichen, erfüllt von blühenden Lotos, widerhallend vom Ruf der Schwäne und Kraniche und verschönt durch Paare der Cakravāka-Vögel.

Word by Word

• नाना: various
• नाना: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), विशेषणार्थे (used adjectivally): ‘various’

• जलज: lotuses (water-born flowers)
• जलज: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलज (प्रातिपदिक) < जल + ज (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; ‘water-born (lotus)’

• फुल्लाभिः: with blooming (ones)
• फुल्लाभिः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फुल्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; ‘blooming’ (agreeing with implied ‘भिः’ group)

• दीर्घिकाभिः: with/among ponds (tanks)
• दीर्घिकाभिः: Adhikaraṇa (Locative sense via description)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीर्घिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• अलंकृते: in/at the adorned (pond)
• अलंकृते: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलंकृ (धातु) → अलंकृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle): ‘adorned’

• हंस: swans
• हंस: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (as first member)

• सारस: cranes
• सारस: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद

• संघुष्टे: in the resounding (place)
• संघुष्टे: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संघुष् (धातु) → संघुष्ट (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त: ‘resounding’

• चक्रवाक: cakravāka birds
• चक्रवाक: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्रवाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद

• उपशोभिते: in the beautified (place)
• उपशोभिते: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-शुभ् (धातु) → उपशोभित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त: ‘beautified/adorned’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Raivataka dīrghikā (contextual)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Long ponds thick with blooming lotuses; swans and cranes call across the water; cakravāka pairs glide near the banks; reflections of trees ripple in the surface.

Characters & Entities

• dīrghikā (ponds)
• haṃsa
• sārasā
• cakravāka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sanctity of a kṣetra is expressed through harmony in nature—water, blossoms, and auspicious creatures—signaling merit and divine presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The pond-filled environs of Raivataka within Prabhāsa-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit injunction; however, such pond imagery commonly frames snāna (holy bathing) contexts in māhātmya literature.