Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

नानाजलजफुल्लाभिर्दीर्घिका भिरलंकृते । हंससारससंघुष्टे चक्रवाकोपशोभिते

Transliteration

nānājalajaphullābhirdīrghikā bhiralaṃkṛte | haṃsasārasasaṃghuṣṭe cakravākopaśobhite

Translation

Il était embelli de nombreux étangs allongés, pleins de lotus épanouis, retentissant des cris des cygnes et des grues, et paré de couples d’oiseaux cakravāka.

Word by Word

• नाना: various
• नाना: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), विशेषणार्थे (used adjectivally): ‘various’

• जलज: lotuses (water-born flowers)
• जलज: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलज (प्रातिपदिक) < जल + ज (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; ‘water-born (lotus)’

• फुल्लाभिः: with blooming (ones)
• फुल्लाभिः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फुल्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; ‘blooming’ (agreeing with implied ‘भिः’ group)

• दीर्घिकाभिः: with/among ponds (tanks)
• दीर्घिकाभिः: Adhikaraṇa (Locative sense via description)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीर्घिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• अलंकृते: in/at the adorned (pond)
• अलंकृते: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलंकृ (धातु) → अलंकृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle): ‘adorned’

• हंस: swans
• हंस: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (as first member)

• सारस: cranes
• सारस: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद

• संघुष्टे: in the resounding (place)
• संघुष्टे: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संघुष् (धातु) → संघुष्ट (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त: ‘resounding’

• चक्रवाक: cakravāka birds
• चक्रवाक: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्रवाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद

• उपशोभिते: in the beautified (place)
• उपशोभिते: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-शुभ् (धातु) → उपशोभित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त: ‘beautified/adorned’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Raivataka dīrghikā (contextual)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Long ponds thick with blooming lotuses; swans and cranes call across the water; cakravāka pairs glide near the banks; reflections of trees ripple in the surface.

Characters & Entities

• dīrghikā (ponds)
• haṃsa
• sārasā
• cakravāka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sanctity of a kṣetra is expressed through harmony in nature—water, blossoms, and auspicious creatures—signaling merit and divine presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The pond-filled environs of Raivataka within Prabhāsa-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit injunction; however, such pond imagery commonly frames snāna (holy bathing) contexts in māhātmya literature.