Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

स्तंभैश्च विधृता सा तु शाश्वती न च सक्षया । दिव्यैर्नानाविधैर्भावैर्भासद्भिरमितप्रभा

Transliteration

staṃbhaiśca vidhṛtā sā tu śāśvatī na ca sakṣayā | divyairnānāvidhairbhāvairbhāsadbhiramitaprabhā

Translation

Soutenue par des piliers, cette salle était éternelle et non sujette à la ruine ; de multiples splendeurs divines y rayonnaient, et sa clarté était sans mesure.

Word by Word

• स्तम्भैः: by pillars
• स्तम्भैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय — conjunction

• विधृता: supported, upheld
• विधृता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-धृ (धातु) → विधृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; ‘सभा’ विशेषण

• सा: that (hall)
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• तु: indeed, but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्यय — adversative/emphatic particle

• शाश्वती: eternal, enduring
• शाश्वती: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; ‘सभा’ विशेषण

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय — negative particle

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय — conjunction

• स-क्षया: subject to decay
• स-क्षया: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; तत्पुरुष (क्षयेन सह/युक्ता)

• दिव्यैः: with divine
• दिव्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुं, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Instrumental (3rd), Plural; ‘भावैः’ विशेषण

• नाना-विधैः: of various kinds
• नाना-विधैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुं, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Instrumental (3rd), Plural; तत्पुरुष (नानाप्रकारैः)

• भावैः: by qualities/attributes
• भावैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• भासद्भिः: shining, radiant
• भासद्भिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भास् (धातु) → भासत् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त; ‘भावैः’ विशेषण

• अमित-प्रभा: of immeasurable splendor
• अमित-प्रभा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमित + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; कर्मधारय (अमिता प्रभा यस्याः)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant, pillar-supported hall that appears timeless—no cracks, no aging—its surfaces shimmering with multiple divine ‘bhāvas’ (ornamental motifs, luminous textures, celestial colors).

Characters & Entities

• Divine assembly hall (sabhā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The imagery contrasts the imperishable divine order with the perishable nature of worldly structures.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse continues the depiction of a celestial sabhā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.