Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

बहुध्वजसमाकीर्णा वेदध्वनिनिनादिता । वणिग्जनैर्बहुविधैः क्रयविक्रयशालिनी

Transliteration

bahudhvajasamākīrṇā vedadhvaninināditā | vaṇigjanairbahuvidhaiḥ krayavikrayaśālinī

Translation

അത് അനേകം ധ്വജങ്ങളാൽ നിറഞ്ഞതും വേദപാരായണത്തിന്റെ നാദത്തിൽ മുഴങ്ങുന്നതുമായിരുന്നു. നാനാവിധ വണികജനങ്ങളാൽ സമൃദ്ധമായി, വാങ്ങൽ–വിൽപ്പനയുടെ വ്യാപാരത്തിൽ പ്രഭാസിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• बहु-ध्वज-समाकीर्णा: filled with many flags
• बहु-ध्वज-समाकीर्णा: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक) + समाकीर्ण (कृदन्त; √कॄ/किर्; past participle)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (बहुध्वजैः समाकीर्णा—'filled with many flags')

• वेद-ध्वनि-निनादिता: resounding with Vedic chants
• वेद-ध्वनि-निनादिता: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वनि (प्रातिपदिक) + निनादित (कृदन्त; √नद् 'to sound' with नि-; past participle/causative sense 'made to resound')
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (वेदध्वनिना निनादिता—'resounded with Vedic sound')

• वणिग्-जनैः: by merchants
• वणिग्-जनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वणिज् (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (वणिजां जनैः—'by merchant-people')

• बहु-विधैः: of many kinds
• बहु-विधैः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (बहवः विधाः—'of many kinds')

• क्रय-विक्रय-शालिनी: abounding in buying and selling (trade)
• क्रय-विक्रय-शालिनी: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रय (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्रय (प्रातिपदिक) + शालिन्/शालिनी (प्रातिपदिक 'possessing/abounding in')
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः द्वन्द्व (क्रयश्च विक्रयश्च) + बहुव्रीहि-भाव (शालिनी—'having')

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A bustling sacred avenue: rows of fluttering banners, brahmins chanting Veda in courtyards, and merchants in lively bazaars weighing goods and exchanging coins.

Characters & Entities

• Veda (sound/recitation)
• Vārāṇasī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma harmonizes spiritual life (Vedic sound) and worldly life (commerce), portraying an ideal sacred city.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī (Kāśī), depicted as both spiritually vibrant and materially thriving.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; Vedic recitation is referenced as a living presence in the city.