Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

प्रासादैः स्फाटिकैश्चैव कैलासशिखरोपमैः । पताकाशोभितैर्दिव्यैः समंतात्परिवारितम्

Transliteration

prāsādaiḥ sphāṭikaiścaiva kailāsaśikharopamaiḥ | patākāśobhitairdivyaiḥ samaṃtātparivāritam

Translation

De toutes parts, il était entouré de palais semblables au cristal, pareils aux cimes du Kailāsa, et divinement embelli par des bannières sacrées flottant au vent.

Word by Word

• प्रासादैः: with palaces
• प्रासादैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāsāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (instr. pl.)

• स्फाटिकैः: crystal(-like)
• स्फाटिकैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sphāṭika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (instr. pl.); विशेषणम् (प्रासादानाम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (indeed/only)

• कैलास-शिखर-उपमैः: like the summit of Kailāsa
• कैलास-शिखर-उपमैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kailāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + śikhara (प्रातिपदिक) + upama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (instr. pl.); तत्पुरुषः (कैलासस्य शिखरस्य उपमैः = comparable to the peak of Kailāsa); विशेषणम् (प्रासादानाम्)

• पताका-शोभितैः: adorned with banners
• पताका-शोभितैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: patākā (प्रातिपदिक) + śobhita (कृदन्त, √śubh)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (instr. pl.); तत्पुरुषः (पताकाभिः शोभितैः = adorned with banners)

• दिव्यैः: divine / splendid
• दिव्यैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (instr. pl.); विशेषणम् (पताकाशोभितैः/प्रासादैः)

• समन्तात्: on all sides
• समन्तात्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samantāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (on all sides/from all around)

• परिवारितम्: surrounded / enclosed
• परिवारितम्: Kriya (State/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari√vṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन (acc./nom. sg. neut.); विशेषणम् (नगरस्य)

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration context from 12.1)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circular panorama: crystal palaces rise like snowy Kailāsa peaks; divine banners flutter from rooftops and gateways, encircling the city in celebratory splendor.

Characters & Entities

• Kailāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

By likening the city to Kailāsa, the text suggests that a dharmic, sanctified place mirrors divine realms and elevates the pilgrim’s mind.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A sacred city within the Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya is praised; the excerpt does not provide the site’s proper name.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive, emphasizing divine surroundings and auspicious banners.