Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

उद्वाहार्थं महेशस्य तत्क्षणात्समकल्पयत् । शतयोजनविस्तीर्णं प्रासादशतशोभितम्

Transliteration

udvāhārthaṃ maheśasya tatkṣaṇātsamakalpayat | śatayojanavistīrṇaṃ prāsādaśataśobhitam

Translation

Pour les noces de Maheśa, il l’ordonna à l’instant : une cité s’étendant sur cent yojanas, ornée de centaines de palais.

Word by Word

• udvāha-artham: for the wedding
• udvāha-artham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udvāha (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुष/प्रयोजनवाचक (उद्वाहार्थम् = for the wedding); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन (अर्थ-शब्दः)

• maheśasya: of Maheśa (Śiva)
• maheśasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• tat-kṣaṇāt: immediately, from that moment
• tat-kṣaṇāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (तत्क्षण = that very moment); पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन

• samakalpayat: he arranged/created
• samakalpayat: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kḷp (धातु; कल्प् समर्पणे/विधौ) उपसर्गः सम्
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतन-भूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• śata-yojana-vistīrṇam: extending a hundred yojanas
• śata-yojana-vistīrṇam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक) + yojana (प्रातिपदिक) + vistīrṇa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √stṛ/√star विस्तार, क्त)
• Form: समासः षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-प्रकारः (शतयोजनविस्तीर्ण = spread over a hundred yojanas); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• prāsāda-śata-śobhitam: adorned with hundreds of palaces
• prāsāda-śata-śobhitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāsāda (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक) + śobhita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √śubh शोभने, क्त)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुष (adorned with hundreds of palaces); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A colossal city appears in an instant for Śiva’s wedding—spanning immense distance, filled with hundreds of palaces, banners, and gem-lit avenues.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśa (Śiva)
• Brahmā (implied)
• Ratnamaya city (implied)
• Palaces (prāsāda)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred rites deserve sacred space—Purāṇas portray cosmic splendor to teach reverence, preparedness, and auspiciousness in dharmic ceremonies.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No earthly tīrtha is specified; the narrative describes a divinely prepared ceremonial city rather than a geographic pilgrimage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Preparation of an auspicious, well-adorned venue for udvāha is implied as part of proper rite-performance.