Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

नानाभूषणभूषाढ्या नानाचंदनचर्चिता । नानाकुसुम मालाढ्या दुकूलेनावृता शुभा

Transliteration

nānābhūṣaṇabhūṣāḍhyā nānācaṃdanacarcitā | nānākusuma mālāḍhyā dukūlenāvṛtā śubhā

Translation

Richly adorned with many ornaments, anointed with diverse sandal-pastes, abundant in garlands of many flowers—she, auspicious and radiant, was draped in fine silk.

Word by Word

• नाना-भूषण-भूषा-आढ्या: rich in various ornaments
• नाना-भूषण-भूषा-आढ्या: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषा (प्रातिपदिक) + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; ‘नानाभिः भूषणभूषाभिः आढ्या’ (rich in various ornament-adornments)

• नाना-चन्दन-चर्चिता: anointed with various sandal (paste)
• नाना-चन्दन-चर्चिता: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक) + चर्चित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; चर्च्-धातोः क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; ‘नानाचन्दनेन चर्चिता’ (smeared/anointed with various sandal-pastes)

• नाना-कुसुम-माला-आढ्या: rich in garlands of many flowers
• नाना-कुसुम-माला-आढ्या: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + कुसुम (प्रातिपदिक) + माला (प्रातिपदिक) + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; ‘नानाकुसुममालाभिः आढ्या’ (abounding in garlands of many flowers)

• दुकूलेन: with fine cloth/silk
• दुकूलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुकूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• आवृता: was covered/clad
• आवृता: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: आ-उपसर्गपूर्वक वृ-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (finite sense)

• शुभा: auspicious, beautiful
• शुभा: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of the lady described)

Speaker

Narrator

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Varddhanī stands fully adorned: layered ornaments, multiple sandal-paste patterns on limbs, thick multi-flower garlands, wrapped in gleaming silk—an embodiment of auspicious radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Varddhanī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It illustrates the potency of ‘rūpa’ (appearance) in worldly and celestial affairs, implicitly urging discernment so dharma is not eclipsed by mere splendor.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it remains within the Dharmāraṇya narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.