Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

चंदनैः पारिजातैश्च नागपुन्नागचंपकैः । नानामृगगणाकीर्णं सिंहशार्दूलसेवितम्

Transliteration

caṃdanaiḥ pārijātaiśca nāgapunnāgacaṃpakaiḥ | nānāmṛgagaṇākīrṇaṃ siṃhaśārdūlasevitam

Translation

Il était rempli de troupeaux d’animaux variés, embelli de santal et d’arbres pārijāta, de fleurs nāga, punnāga et campaka; et les lions comme les tigres y avaient leurs passages.

Word by Word

• चन्दनैः: with sandalwood (trees)
• चन्दनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• पारिजातैः: with pārijāta trees
• पारिजातैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारिजात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• नाग-पुन्नाग-चम्पकैः: with nāga, punnāga and campaka (trees)
• नाग-पुन्नाग-चम्पकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक) + पुन्नाग (प्रातिपदिक) + चम्पक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (copulative)

• नाना-मृग-गण-आकीर्णम्: crowded with many kinds of animal herds
• नाना-मृग-गण-आकीर्णम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक) + आ + कृ (धातु) → आकीर्ण (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण — नानाविधैः मृगगणैः आकीर्णम् (filled with groups of various animals)

• सिंह-शार्दूल-सेवितम्: inhabited by lions and tigers
• सिंह-शार्दूल-सेवितम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिंह (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक) + सेव् (धातु) → सेवित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण — सिंहैः शार्दूलैश्च सेवितम् (frequented by lions and tigers)

Speaker

Deductive (narrative voice within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mandara-parvata (mythic)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mandara’s slopes are perfumed with sandalwood; pārijāta and flowering nāga/punnāga/campaka trees bloom; herds of animals roam while lions and tigers move with sovereign ease.

Characters & Entities

• Mandara (implied)
• Candana
• Pārijāta
• Nāga tree
• Punnāga
• Campaka
• Siṃha
• Śārdūla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred realm is depicted as harmonizing power and beauty—fragrant trees and formidable creatures—signifying fullness of divine order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mandara is celebrated through its divine ecology (trees, flowers, and majestic wildlife), serving as the sacred support for the churning.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive praise of the mountain’s auspicious environment.