Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

झषमंडूककमठैर्मकरैश्च समाकुलम् । शंखशुक्त्यादि भिर्युक्तं राजहंसैः सुशोभितम्

Transliteration

jhaṣamaṃḍūkakamaṭhairmakaraiśca samākulam | śaṃkhaśuktyādi bhiryuktaṃ rājahaṃsaiḥ suśobhitam

Translation

ആ സരോവർ മത്സ്യങ്ങൾ, തവളകൾ, ആമകൾ, മകരങ്ങൾ എന്നിവകൊണ്ട് നിറഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്നു; ശംഖ്-ശുക്തി മുതലായവകൊണ്ട് സമൃദ്ധവും രാജഹംസങ്ങളാൽ അത്യന്തം ശോഭിതവും ആകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• झष: fish
• झष: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: झष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Nominative plural) — समासपूर्वपद

• मण्डूक: frogs
• मण्डूक: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डूक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Nominative plural) — समासपूर्वपद

• कमठैः: with tortoises
• कमठैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• मकरैः: with crocodiles/sea-monsters
• मकरैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• समाकुलम्: crowded, filled
• समाकुलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन (Nom./Acc. sg.)

• शंख: conches
• शंख: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Nominative plural) — समासपूर्वपद

• शुक्ति: oyster-shells
• शुक्ति: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Nominative plural) — समासपूर्वपद

• आदि: and the like
• आदि: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासान्त-अव्यय (ādi = 'etc.'), शंख-शुक्ति-आदि (X etc.)

• भिः: with (by)
• भिः: Karaṇa (Instrument/association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भिस् (विभक्ति-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तृतीया-बहुवचन-विभक्त्यन्त (Instrumental plural ending) — '...भिः'

• युक्तम्: endowed/connected
• युक्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि-क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन

• राजहंसैः: with royal swans
• राजहंसैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजहंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-बहुवचन (Instrumental plural); समास: राजन् + हंस

• सुशोभितम्: beautifully adorned
• सुशोभितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ्/शोभ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि-क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन; उपसर्ग: सु-

Speaker

Vyāsa (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇyaka-sarovara (contextual lake)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa/bhūmipa (king) addressed in the verse-context

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A clear sacred lake crowded with fish, frogs, turtles, and mythic makaras; pearl-like shells and conches glint under sunlight; regal swans glide in orderly arcs.

Characters & Entities

• Makaras
• Rāja-haṃsas (royal swans)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha is depicted as a harmonious sacred ecosystem, reflecting cosmic order within a holy landscape.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dharmāraṇya sarovara, portrayed as abundant with aquatic beings and auspicious birds.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is on sacred beauty and auspicious signs (swans, conches, etc.).