Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

मयासुरेण च तदा भवनानि कृतानि वै । मनोज्ञानि महार्हाणि सुप्रभाणि महांति च

Transliteration

mayāsureṇa ca tadā bhavanāni kṛtāni vai | manojñāni mahārhāṇi suprabhāṇi mahāṃti ca

Translation

Alors, en vérité, l’Asura Māyā fit bâtir de splendides demeures, charmantes pour l’esprit, d’un prix très précieux, d’un éclat lumineux et d’une vaste ampleur.

Word by Word

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• असुरेण: by the asura
• असुरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; अपपद-विशेषणवत् (me, an asura)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• भवनानि: mansions; buildings
• भवनानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन

• कृतानि: made; constructed
• कृतानि: Kriya-visheshana (Predicate qualifier/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (भवनानि)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/खल्वर्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• मनोज्ञानि: pleasing to the mind
• मनोज्ञानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (भवनानि); समासः: मनसः ज्ञ (pleasing to the mind)

• महार्हाणि: very precious; costly
• महार्हाणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महार्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (भवनानि); समासः: महत् + अर्ह (highly valuable)

• सुप्रभाणि: highly splendid; radiant
• सुप्रभाणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुप्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (भवनानि); समासः: सु + प्रभ (very radiant)

• महान्ति: great; large
• महान्ति: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (भवनानि)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (Mahēśvara-khaṇḍa narrative frame)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Frame-audience not specified in excerpt

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Asura Māyā constructs vast, radiant, precious mansions—mind-delighting palaces with luminous halls, jeweled pillars, and expansive courtyards, set against a sacred Himalayan backdrop.

Characters & Entities

• Māyāsura

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly magnificence—even when dazzling—can be an instrument within māyā and should not be mistaken for true spiritual attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-khaṇḍa frames the account within Kedāranātha’s sacred region, though the verse describes the asuras’ constructed dwellings.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse describes the setting being prepared.