Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

जलाश्रयैस्तु विपुलैः पद्मिनीखण्डमण्डितम् । सितोत्पलैश्च संछन्नं नीलपीतैः सितारुणैः

Transliteration

jalāśrayaistu vipulaiḥ padminīkhaṇḍamaṇḍitam | sitotpalaiśca saṃchannaṃ nīlapītaiḥ sitāruṇaiḥ

Translation

ആ വനം വിശാലമായ ജലാശയങ്ങളാലും പദ്മിനീഖണ്ഡങ്ങളാലും അലങ്കരിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നു; ശ്വേതോത്പലങ്ങളാൽ മൂടപ്പെട്ടതും, നീല, പീത, ശ്വേത, അരുണ വർണ്ണങ്ങളായ പദ്മങ്ങളാൽ ദീപ്തമായതുമായിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• जलाश्रयैः: with water-reservoirs/ponds
• जलाश्रयैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (‘जलस्य आश्रयाः’ = water-reservoirs)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण/विरोधसूचक (particle: ‘indeed/but’)

• विपुलैः: large/abundant
• विपुलैः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; ‘जलाश्रयैः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पद्मिनीखण्डमण्डितम्: adorned with patches of lotus-ponds
• पद्मिनीखण्डमण्डितम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद्मिनी (प्रातिपदिक) + खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + √मण्ड् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘मण्डित’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (पद्मिनी-खण्ड) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘पद्मिन्याः खण्डम्’)

• सितोत्पलैः: with white lotuses
• सितोत्पलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्पल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (उत्पल), तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘सितानि उत्पलानि’)

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

• संछन्नम्: covered/overspread
• संछन्नम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-√छद् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/त-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नीलपीतैः: with blue and yellow (ones)
• नीलपीतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक) + पीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्यविशेषणरूपे), तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (‘नीलैः पीतैः च’)

• सितारुणैः: with white and reddish (ones)
• सितारुणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक) + अरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्यविशेषणरूपे), तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (‘सितैः अरुणैः च’)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual deduction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Padminī-sarovara clusters (within Revā setting)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Broad shimmering ponds dotted with lotus beds; white water-lilies and lotuses in blue, yellow, white, and rosy tones; reflections of trees and sky; pilgrims at the edge collecting water.

Characters & Entities

• Jalāśaya (water bodies)
• Padminī (lotus ponds)
• Utpala (water-lily)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity and auspiciousness are symbolized through clear waters and lotuses—external beauty reflecting inner sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The water-rich sacred forest/āśrama zone within the Vindhya setting of Revākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the imagery supports tīrtha themes where sacred waters are central to purification.