Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

क्रीडामयूरैर्हसैश्च श्रुतैश्चैवाभिनादिते । मौक्तिकैर्विविध रत्नैर्विनिर्मितगवाक्षके

Transliteration

krīḍāmayūrairhasaiśca śrutaiścaivābhinādite | mauktikairvividha ratnairvinirmitagavākṣake

Translation

It resounded with the cries of playful peacocks, swans, and other birds; and its windows were fashioned of pearls and many kinds of jewels.

Word by Word

• krīḍā: play
• krīḍā: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krīḍā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (as member; ‘play/sport’)

• mayūraiḥ: by peacocks
• mayūraiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mayūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental plural)

• hasaiḥ: by swans
• hasaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• śrutaiḥ: by (sweet) sounds/birds
• śrutaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śruta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; श्रु धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे); तृतीया-बहुवचन; ‘श्रुत’ = birds/learned sounds (Instrumental plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• abhinādite: in (a place) resounding
• abhinādite: Adhikaraṇa (Location qualified/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhi + nādita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; नद् धातोः क्त/णिच्-क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Neuter, Locative singular; ‘resounding’)

• mauktikaiḥ: with pearls
• mauktikaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mauktika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-बहुवचन (Neuter, Instrumental plural)

• vividha: various
• vividha: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-बहुवचन (agreeing with ratnaiḥ) (Neuter, Instrumental plural)

• ratnaiḥ: with gems
• ratnaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-बहुवचन (Neuter, Instrumental plural)

• vinirmita: constructed
• vinirmita: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi + nirmita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; नि+मा धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Neuter, Locative singular; ‘constructed’)

• gavākṣake: in (a place) with windows/arches
• gavākṣake: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gavākṣaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-एकवचन (Neuter, Locative singular)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mandara

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Frame-audience (sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A jeweled palace hall with pearl-and-gem windows; peacocks dance in courtyards, swans glide in nearby water, and many birds call—creating a continuous auspicious resonance around the divine couple’s abode.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine presence sanctifies the environment—sound, creatures, and architecture become auspicious and elevated.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mount Mandara remains the implied sacred locale in this scene.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive narrative.