Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

प्राकारेण विचित्रेण कपाटार्गलभूषितम् । विचित्रशिखरोपेतं द्वारदेशमुपागतः

Transliteration

prākāreṇa vicitreṇa kapāṭārgalabhūṣitam | vicitraśikharopetaṃ dvāradeśamupāgataḥ

Translation

Elle était ceinte d’un rempart merveilleux, orné de portes et de verrous ; couronnée de pinacles admirables, je m’approchai de son portail.

Word by Word

• prākāreṇa: with/by a wall/enclosure
• prākāreṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• vicitreṇa: wonderful/variegated
• vicitreṇa: Karana (Instrument-qualifier/करणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vicitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying prākāreṇa)

• kapāṭa-argala-bhūṣitam: adorned with doors and bolts/bars
• kapāṭa-argala-bhūṣitam: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kapāṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + argalā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣita (कृदन्त; √bhūṣ (भूष्))
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कपाटार्गलाभ्यां भूषितम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying implicit gṛham/dvāradeśam contextually)

• vicitra-śikhara-upetam: endowed with a splendid pinnacle
• vicitra-śikhara-upetam: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vicitra (प्रातिपदिक) + śikhara (प्रातिपदिक) + upeta (कृदन्त; √i (इ) with upa-)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (विचित्रशिखरेण उपेतम्/युक्तम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying dvāradeśam)

• dvāra-deśam: the doorway/entrance area
• dvāra-deśam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvāra (प्रातिपदिक) + deśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (द्वारस्य देशः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• upāgataḥ: approached/reached
• upāgataḥ: Kriya (Action/result/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√gam (गम्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त; past participle) used predicatively, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (aham) upāgataḥ = 'I approached'

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (addressing a king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king (rājasattama)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The narrator reaches the gateway: a wondrous rampart, strong doors with bolts, and many pinnacles rising above—an awe-inspiring threshold scene.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine realm is depicted as orderly and resplendent, inviting the seeker to approach with reverence and steadiness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

While no single tirtha is named in this verse, it is situated in the Revā Khaṇḍa framework that celebrates the sanctity of the Revā (Narmadā) region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive, emphasizing the grandeur of the divine entrance.