Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

पद्मोत्फुल्लशुभोदाभिर्वापीभिरुपशोभिता । देवतायतनैर्दिव्यैर्वेदघोषैश्च मण्डिता

Transliteration

padmotphullaśubhodābhirvāpībhirupaśobhitā | devatāyatanairdivyairvedaghoṣaiśca maṇḍitā

Translation

Ayodhyā is beautified by splendid lotus-blooming ponds of auspicious waters, adorned with divine shrines of the gods, and made resplendent by the reverberation of Vedic recitations.

Word by Word

• padma: lotus
• padma: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषणाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative, singular) — समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• utphulla: fully bloomed
• utphulla: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषणाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: utphulla (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √phal/√phull? (धातु) से निष्पन्न, 'विकसित')
• Form: विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक (adjectival stem) — समासाङ्ग

• śubha: auspicious, beautiful
• śubha: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषणाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक — समासाङ्ग

• udābhiḥ: with waters
• udābhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (feminine, instrumental, plural)

• vāpībhiḥ: with ponds/tanks
• vāpībhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāpī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (feminine, instrumental, plural)

• upaśobhitā: adorned, beautified
• upaśobhitā: Visheshya (Predicate adjective/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-√śubh (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (feminine, nominative, singular)

• devatāyatanair: with temples/shrines of deities
• devatāyatanair: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā-āyatana (प्रातिपदिक; देवता + आयतन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (neuter, instrumental, plural)

• divyaiḥ: divine
• divyaiḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (adjective, neuter, instrumental, plural)

• vedaghoṣaiḥ: with Vedic chants/sounds
• vedaghoṣaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda-ghoṣa (प्रातिपदिक; वेद + घोष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (masculine, instrumental, plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• maṇḍitā: decorated, embellished
• maṇḍitā: Visheshya (Predicate adjective/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √maṇḍ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (feminine, nominative, singular)

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced for Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa narrative context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā-vāpī/vāpīs (lotus ponds)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Lotus-filled ponds shimmer with auspicious water; along their edges stand small and large shrines; brahmins chant Veda, sound waves suggested through rhythmic lines; lamps and flags flutter.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā
• Veda
• Devatā (gods)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A holy city is recognized by purity of waters, presence of देवालय (temples), and living Vedic sound—outer beauty reflecting inner dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā, praised as a sacred city marked by lotus ponds, deity-shrines, and Vedic recitation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is commanded; the verse highlights Veda-ghoṣa (Vedic chanting) and temple worship as natural features of the sacred place.