Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

मौक्तिकादामशोभाढ्यं वज्रवैडूर्यभूषितम् । रुक्मपट्टतलाकीर्णं रत्नभूम्या सुशोभितम्

Transliteration

mauktikādāmaśobhāḍhyaṃ vajravaiḍūryabhūṣitam | rukmapaṭṭatalākīrṇaṃ ratnabhūmyā suśobhitam

Translation

അത് മുത്തുമാലകളുടെ ശോഭയാൽ സമൃദ്ധം, വജ്രവും വൈഡൂര്യരത്നങ്ങളും കൊണ്ട് ഭൂഷിതം; സ്വർണപ്പട്ടകൾ പതിപ്പിച്ച നിലവും രത്നമയമായ ഭൂമിയും അതിനെ അത്യന്തം ശോഭിപ്പിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• मौक्तिकादामशोभाढ्यम्: rich with the splendor of pearl garlands
• मौक्तिकादामशोभाढ्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मौक्तिक (प्रातिपदिक) + दाम (प्रातिपदिक) + शोभा (प्रातिपदिक) + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास (मौक्तिक-दाम-शोभया आढ्यम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; rich in the beauty of pearl-garlands

• वज्रवैडूर्यभूषितम्: adorned with diamonds and cat’s-eye gems
• वज्रवैडूर्यभूषितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वैडूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + भूष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद (वज्र-वैडूर्य) + तत्पुरुष (वज्रवैडूर्यैः भूषितम्), क्त-कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रुक्मपट्टतलाकीर्णम्: spread/strewn with golden slabs on the floor
• रुक्मपट्टतलाकीर्णम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुक्म (प्रातिपदिक) + पट्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक) + आ√कॄ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (रुक्मपट्टतले आकीर्णम्), क्त-कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; strewn over the surface with golden slabs/plates

• रत्नभूम्या: by/with a jeweled floor/ground
• रत्नभूम्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्नभूमि (प्रातिपदिक: रत्न + भूमि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by/with a jeweled ground)

• सुशोभितम्: beautifully adorned
• सुशोभितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ् (धातु) + सु- (उपसर्ग) ; क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; well-ornamented

Speaker

Unnamed narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) kṣetra (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly (generic)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close interior view: pearl garlands draped from arches; diamond and vaidūrya inlays; golden panel flooring; jewel-paved ground shimmering with prismatic light.

Characters & Entities

• Bāṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇas depict dazzling wealth to remind readers that even the most jewel-like prosperity is impermanent without dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No; the verse continues the palace’s ornamentation description, not a tīrtha-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.