Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

कांचनैः सुविचित्रैश्च प्रोन्नतैरमलैः शुभैः । तोरणानां सहस्रैश्च शोभितं सुमनोहरम्

Transliteration

kāṃcanaiḥ suvicitraiśca pronnatairamalaiḥ śubhaiḥ | toraṇānāṃ sahasraiśca śobhitaṃ sumanoharam

Translation

C’était d’une beauté exquise, orné de milliers de portiques : d’or, finement ouvragés, élevés, sans tache et de bon augure.

Word by Word

• काञ्चनैः: with golden (ornaments/structures)
• काञ्चनैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural, neuter)

• सुविचित्रैः: with very variegated/beautiful
• सुविचित्रैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु- + विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural, neuter)

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

• प्रोन्नतैः: with lofty/raised
• प्रोन्नतैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-उन्नत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural, neuter)

• अमलैः: with spotless/pure
• अमलैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural, neuter)

• शुभैः: with auspicious
• शुभैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural, neuter)

• तोरणानाम्: of gateways/arches
• तोरणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Genitive plural, neuter)

• सहस्रैः: with thousands
• सहस्रैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural, neuter)

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

• शोभितम्: adorned
• शोभितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोभित (शुभ्/शोभ् धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle)

• सुमनोहरम्: very charming
• सुमनोहरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु- + मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Nom/Acc singular, neuter)

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration context from 12.1)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śaṅkhatīrtha (contextual locus of the narrative)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant sacred town entrance lined with countless lofty golden toranas, intricately carved, spotless and auspicious, drawing pilgrims inward.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Auspicious design and purity in sacred architecture are portrayed as outward signs of an inwardly dharmic community.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the praise of a sanctified city in the Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya; the specific tīrtha/city name is not stated here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual; the verse emphasizes śubha (auspiciousness) and purity as guiding principles for sacred civic space.