Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

मुक्ताप्रवालवैडूर्यरत्नहेमविचित्रितैः । भ्राजमानं गृहश्रेष्ठैर्द्यौर्नक्षत्रगणैरिव

Transliteration

muktāpravālavaiḍūryaratnahemavicitritaiḥ | bhrājamānaṃ gṛhaśreṣṭhairdyaurnakṣatragaṇairiva

Translation

Bigarrée de perles, de corail, de gemmes vaidūrya, de joyaux et d’or, elle resplendissait de ses demeures les plus nobles, telle la voûte céleste avec ses multitudes d’étoiles.

Word by Word

• मुक्ता-प्रवाल-वैडूर्य-रत्न-हेम-विचित्रितैः: with (things) adorned with pearls, coral, beryl, gems, and gold
• मुक्ता-प्रवाल-वैडूर्य-रत्न-हेम-विचित्रितैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: muktā (प्रातिपदिक) + pravāla (प्रातिपदिक) + vaiḍūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + ratna (प्रातिपदिक) + hema (प्रातिपदिक) + vicitrita (कृदन्त, √citr)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (instr. pl.); तत्पुरुषसमासः (मुक्तादिभिः विचित्रितैः = variegated/adorned with pearls etc.)

• भ्राजमानम्: shining
• भ्राजमानम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhraj (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन (acc./nom. sg. neut.); विशेषणम् (नगरस्य)

• गृह-श्रेष्ठैः: with excellent houses
• गृह-श्रेष्ठैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक) + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (instr. pl.); तत्पुरुषः (गृहाणां श्रेष्ठैः = with excellent houses)

• द्यौः: the sky
• द्यौः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (वैदिके पुंलिङ्गोऽपि); प्रथमा एकवचन (nom. sg.)

• नक्षत्र-गणैः: with groups of stars
• नक्षत्र-गणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakṣatra (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (instr. pl.); तत्पुरुषः (नक्षत्राणां गणैः = with groups of stars)

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (Comparison/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक (comparative particle)

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration context from 12.1)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wide view of a radiant city: mansions glitter with pearls, coral, vaidūrya, gems, and gold; the skyline sparkles like a star-filled night sky.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A sacred city’s outer brilliance symbolizes the inner radiance of dharma and the merit that sanctifies the land.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the praise of an Indra-like city in the Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya; the specific place-name is not included here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is a māhātmya-style eulogy describing sacred prosperity and beauty.