Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

गिरिं रैवतकं नाम सर्वर्तुकुसुमोज्ज्वलम् । तत्र गत्वा निजामात्यैः समं मन्त्र्य च सत्व रम् । इन्द्रोपरि ततश्चक्रे यानं युद्धपरीप्सया

Transliteration

giriṃ raivatakaṃ nāma sarvartukusumojjvalam | tatra gatvā nijāmātyaiḥ samaṃ mantrya ca satva ram | indropari tataścakre yānaṃ yuddhaparīpsayā

Translation

Il se rendit à la montagne nommée Raivataka, éclatante de fleurs en toute saison. Là, après avoir promptement délibéré avec ses propres ministres, il se mit en route contre Indra, avide de combat.

Word by Word

• गिरिम्: mountain
• गिरिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• रैवतकं: named Raivataka
• रैवतकं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रैवतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गिरिम्)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (Apposition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-निर्देशक (particle: ‘by name’)

• सर्वर्तुकुसुमोज्ज्वलम्: bright with flowers in all seasons
• सर्वर्तुकुसुमोज्ज्वलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-ऋतु-कुसुम-उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गिरिम्); समासः—षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (‘all-seasons’ + ‘flowers’ + ‘bright’)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (‘having gone’)

• निजामात्यैः: with his own ministers
• निजामात्यैः: Sahakari (Association/सहकारि; instrumental accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज-अमात्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (‘own’ + ‘ministers’)

• समम्: together
• समम्: Sahakari (Association/सहकारि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (‘together/along with’)

• मन्त्र्य: having consulted
• मन्त्र्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्त्र् (धातु) + य (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive); ‘having consulted/advised’

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

• सत्वरम्: quickly
• सत्वरम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत्वर (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (‘quickly/hastily’)

• इन्द्रोपरि: upon Indra (above/over Indra)
• इन्द्रोपरि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इन्द्र-उपरि (अव्यय; समास/योग)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव; उपरि-शब्देन सह (‘upon/over Indra’)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/हेतुवाचक (‘then/from there’)

• चक्रे: made/undertook
• चक्रे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परस्मैपद/आत्मनेपद?); आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; रूपम्—चक्रे (perfect, ‘did/made’)

• यानम्: a march/journey
• यानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• युद्धपरीप्सया: with the desire for battle
• युद्धपरीप्सया: Hetu (Cause/Purpose/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध-परि-ईप्सा (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/हेतु), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘desire for battle’)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Raivataka-giri

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic view of Raivataka mountain covered in blossoms across all seasons; Vṛka arrives with ministers and retinue, holding a council, then sets forth upward/skyward toward Indra’s realm for battle.

Characters & Entities

• Raivataka
• Indra
• Vṛka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power without dharmic restraint turns toward conquest; Purāṇic stories show how boons can catalyze conflict.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Raivataka mountain is explicitly mentioned and praised as ever-flowering, a hallmark of sacred-geography description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates strategic counsel and a military march rather than a rite.