Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

अनेकाकारबहुलं पृथक्पक्षिकुलाकुलम् । नानाप्रस्रवणोपेतं नानाविधजलाशयम्

Transliteration

anekākārabahulaṃ pṛthakpakṣikulākulam | nānāprasravaṇopetaṃ nānāvidhajalāśayam

Translation

Il regorgeait de nombreuses formes de vie et s'animait de divers volées d'oiseaux ; orné de nombreuses cascades et de toutes sortes de bassins et de réservoirs d'eau.

Word by Word

• अनेकाकारबहुलम्: abounding in many forms
• अनेकाकारबहुलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक) + आकार (प्रातिपदिक) + बहुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter, nominative/accusative singular; adjective)

• पृथक्: separately, distinctly
• पृथक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/भेदवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb: separately/distinctly)

• पक्षिकुलाकुलम्: crowded with flocks of birds
• पक्षिकुलाकुलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पक्षि (प्रातिपदिक) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक) + आकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter, nominative/accusative singular; adjective)

• नाना: various, many
• नाना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय; बहुविधत्ववाचक (indeclinable: various/many)

• प्रस्रवणोपेतम्: endowed with springs/streams
• प्रस्रवणोपेतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रस्रवण (प्रातिपदिक) + उपेत (कृदन्त; √इ (धातु) उपसर्ग-उप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘उपेत’ = युक्त/समन्वित (neuter nom/acc sg; past participle used adjectivally)

• नाना: various, many
• नाना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय; बहुविधत्ववाचक (indeclinable: various/many)

• विध: of kinds, varieties
• विध: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक; समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण ‘प्रकार’ अर्थे (stem used in compound: kind/type)

• जलाशयम्: water-reservoir, lake
• जलाशयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + आशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, nominative/accusative singular)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: cave

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dense, many-formed sacred wilderness: flocks of birds in layered canopies, multiple waterfalls feeding clear pools and small reservoirs near a cave-mouth; the place feels untouched and numinous.

Characters & Entities

• Pāriyātra (mountain)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A holy region is depicted as harmonious and life-giving—supporting contemplation through beauty, water, and solitude.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader sacred environment around the Pāriyātra mountain cave is praised.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is specified; the focus is on the auspicious characteristics of the tapas-sthāna.