Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

परार्ध्य दृषदास्तीर्णं बद्धमुक्तावितानकम् । विमुक्तपुष्पप्रकरदिव्यधूपोरुसौरभम्

Transliteration

parārdhya dṛṣadāstīrṇaṃ baddhamuktāvitānakam | vimuktapuṣpaprakaradivyadhūporusaurabham

Translation

Il était recouvert de dalles d’une valeur inestimable, et surmonté d’un dais de guirlandes de perles fixées. Tout y était empli du riche parfum des encens célestes et d’amas de fleurs fraîchement répandues.

Word by Word

• परार्ध्यम्: most precious/supremely valuable
• परार्ध्यम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परार्ध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• दृषदा: with stone/slab (pavement)
• दृषदा: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृषद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया (3rd case/instrumental), एकवचनम्

• आस्तीर्णम्: spread/covered
• आस्तीर्णम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्तॄ (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; क्तान्त (आ-उपसर्ग), ‘spread/covered’

• बद्धमुक्तावितानकम्: having a canopy of strung pearls
• बद्धमुक्तावितानकम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बद्ध (कृदन्त; बन्ध् धातोः क्त) + मुक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वितानक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (बद्ध-मुक्ताभिः वितानकम्/मुक्तावितानकं बद्धम्)

• विमुक्तपुष्पप्रकरदिव्यधूपोरुसौरभम्: having abundant fragrance from scattered flowers and divine incense
• विमुक्तपुष्पप्रकरदिव्यधूपोरुसौरभम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमुक्त (कृदन्त; मुच् धातोः क्त, वि-) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रकर (प्रातिपदिक) + दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + धूप (प्रातिपदिक) + उरु (प्रातिपदिक) + सौरभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (विमुक्तपुष्पप्रकरात् दिव्यधूपात् उरु सौरभं यस्य/यत्र)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative convention)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: vat्सा (frame listener)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A jewel-paved floor, pearl-canopied ceiling, heaps of freshly strewn blossoms, and thick divine incense fragrance filling the hall—an immersive sacred pavilion.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine beauty and fragrance symbolize the purity and auspiciousness of Śiva’s presence, inspiring reverence for Arunācala as a supremely sacred seat.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Aruṇācala (Tiruvaṇṇāmalai region), praised through the depiction of Śiva’s splendid divine assembly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse emphasizes devotional contemplation (smaraṇa) through vivid sacred description.