Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

नानापुष्पफलैर्रम्या कदलीखण्डमण्डिता । पनसैर्बकुलैस्तालैरशोकैराम्रकैस्तथा

Transliteration

nānāpuṣpaphalairramyā kadalīkhaṇḍamaṇḍitā | panasairbakulaistālairaśokairāmrakaistathā

Translation

Charmante par ses nombreuses fleurs et ses fruits, elle était ornée de bosquets de bananiers, de jacquiers et de bakulas, de palmiers, d’aśokas et aussi de manguiers.

Word by Word

• नाना-पुष्प-फलैः: with various flowers and fruits
• नाना-पुष्प-फलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/विशेषण) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः द्वन्द्व (पुष्पाणि च फलानि च) + नाना-विशेषण

• रम्या: lovely/charming
• रम्या: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कदली-खण्ड-मण्डिता: adorned with banana-groves
• कदली-खण्ड-मण्डिता: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कदली (प्रातिपदिक) + खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डित (कृदन्त; √मण्ड् 'to adorn'; past participle)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (कदलीखण्डैः मण्डिता—'adorned with groves/clumps of banana')

• पनसैः: with jackfruit trees
• पनसैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पनस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• बकुलैः: with bakula trees
• बकुलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तालैः: with palm trees
• तालैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अशोकैः: with aśoka trees
• अशोकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• आम्रकैः: with mango trees
• आम्रकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आम्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तथा: and also/likewise
• तथा: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/उपमानार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'also/likewise')

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) upavanas (groves)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Lush city-groves heavy with blossoms and fruit: banana clusters, jackfruit, bakula blooms, palms, aśoka, and mango trees forming shaded avenues near shrines.

Characters & Entities

• Vārāṇasī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred geography includes sanctified nature—auspicious trees and fruit-bearing abundance are signs of a blessed kṣetra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī (Kāśī), described as verdant and auspicious with sacred flora.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is ecological and aesthetic praise supporting the māhātmya of the place.