Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

जंबूप्लक्षकुशक्रौंचशाकशाल्मलिपुष्कराः । समुद्रान्सरितः सप्त द्वैगुण्येन प्रकल्पयेत्

Transliteration

jaṃbūplakṣakuśakrauṃcaśākaśālmalipuṣkarāḥ | samudrānsaritaḥ sapta dvaiguṇyena prakalpayet

Translation

Qu’on façonne aussi Jambū, Plakṣa, Kuśa, Krauñca, Śāka, Śālmalī et Puṣkara (les sept continents), et qu’on dispose les sept océans et les rivières selon la juste proportion, en les établissant par doubles mesures successives.

Word by Word

• जंबू: Jambu (rose-apple tree)
• जंबू: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जंबू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• प्लक्ष: Plakṣa (a fig tree)
• प्लक्ष: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• कुश: Kuśa (sacred grass)
• कुश: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• क्रौंच: Krauñca (name)
• क्रौंच: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रौंच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• शाक: Śāka (name)
• शाक: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• शाल्मलि: Śālmalī (silk-cotton tree/name)
• शाल्मलि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्मलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• पुष्कराः: Puṣkara(s) (names)
• पुष्कराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (समुद्र/द्वीप-नामानि)

• समुद्रान्: oceans
• समुद्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• सरितः: rivers
• सरितः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; (वैकल्पिकरूपेण सरितः=सरितः/सरित्-शब्दस्य द्वितीया बहुवचन)

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचनार्थे (समुद्रान्/सरितः विशेषयति)

• द्वैगुण्येन: by doubling/twofold measure
• द्वैगुण्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वैगुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• प्रकल्पयेत्: should arrange/construct
• प्रकल्पयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-कल्प् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña (procedural instruction)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (nṛpa) addressed in instruction

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual artisan-priest lays out a golden map of the world: seven concentric continents and oceans, with rivers traced like veins; measuring cords and proportional rings indicate ‘doubling’ expansion.

Characters & Entities

• Jambūdvīpa
• Plakṣadvīpa
• Kuśadvīpa
• Krauñcadvīpa
• Śākadvīpa
• Śālmalīdvīpa
• Puṣkaradvīpa
• Seven Oceans
• Seven Rivers

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The cosmos itself is treated as worthy of reverence; by gifting a sacred model of the world, one cultivates gratitude and responsibility toward creation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction occurs within Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s tīrtha-glorification context centered on Gautameśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Depict the seven dvīpas, the seven oceans, and the rivers, arranged with ‘doubling’ proportional expansion.