Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

स्वर्लोकादपि रम्याणि दृष्टानि बहुशो मया । आह्लादकारिणो नानामण्यो यत्र पन्नगः

Transliteration

svarlokādapi ramyāṇi dṛṣṭāni bahuśo mayā | āhlādakāriṇo nānāmaṇyo yatra pannagaḥ

Translation

Many times have I beheld places more delightful even than Svarga; there the nāgas are adorned with many kinds of jewels, bringing joy and wonder.

Word by Word

• स्वर्लोकात्: from Svarga (heavenly world)
• स्वर्लोकात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्वः-लोकः)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ (even/also)

• रम्याणि: beautiful; delightful
• रम्याणि: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• दृष्टानि: were seen
• दृष्टानि: Kriya (Predicate, passive sense)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• बहुशः: many times
• बहुशः: Adhikarana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (many times)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• आह्लादकारिणः: delight-causing
• आह्लादकारिणः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आह्लाद + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘causing delight’)

• नाना: various
• नाना: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; विविधार्थक (various)

• मण्यः: gems
• मण्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-सम्बन्ध (where)

• पन्नगः: serpent (Nāga)
• पन्नगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) [deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style]

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pātāla (general)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kauravya (Kuru scion)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous subterranean garden-city where jewel-hooded Nāgas glide; their gems cast multicolored light, making the realm appear more enchanting than heaven.

Characters & Entities

• Svarloka
• Pannaga (Nāga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Puranic texts portray beauty and pleasure as present across realms, yet implicitly subordinate to higher spiritual aims—wonder should lead to reverence, not attachment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate focus is Pātāla’s splendor; the adhyāya’s sacred focal point is the Śaiva liṅga named Śrīhāṭakeśvara mentioned shortly after.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual instruction is given in this verse.