Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

पीतमृत्स्वर्णकलशं ध्वजमालाविभूषितम् । काष्ठतोरणविन्यस्तं दोलकेन विभूषितम्

Transliteration

pītamṛtsvarṇakalaśaṃ dhvajamālāvibhūṣitam | kāṣṭhatoraṇavinyastaṃ dolakena vibhūṣitam

Translation

അതിൽ മഞ്ഞ മണ്ണുകൊണ്ടുള്ള സ്വർണ്ണസമാന കലശം ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു; ധ്വജങ്ങളും മാലകളും കൊണ്ട് അത് വിഭൂഷിതമായിരുന്നു. മരത്തോറണം സ്ഥാപിച്ചിരുന്നു; ഊഞ്ഞാലുകൊണ്ടും അലങ്കരിച്ചിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• पीतमृत्स्वर्णकलशम्: (having) a yellow clay-golden pot
• पीतमृत्स्वर्णकलशम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीत + मृद् + स्वर्ण + कलश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (पीत-मृद्-स्वर्ण-कलशः यस्य/यत्र)

• ध्वजमालाविभूषितम्: decorated with flags and garlands
• ध्वजमालाविभूषितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्वज + माला + विभूषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ध्वज-मालाभिः विभूषितम्) + क्त

• काष्ठतोरणविन्यस्तम्: set with wooden gateways/arches
• काष्ठतोरणविन्यस्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काष्ठ + तोरण + विन्यस्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (काष्ठ-तोरणे विन्यस्तम्/काष्ठतोरणैः विन्यस्तम्) + क्त

• दोलकेन: with a swing (ornament)
• दोलकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विभूषितम्: adorned
• विभूषितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + भूष् (धातु) → विभूषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Kūrma

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A small shrine crowned with a yellow-golden earthen kalaśa, fluttering flags and garlands, a wooden toraṇa at the entrance, and a swing set nearby—festive and sacred.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (implied by shrine context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Beautifying a sacred space for the deity is itself an expression of devotion and reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the verse gives a general sacred-architecture description of a Śiva shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Adorning the shrine with dhvaja (flags), mālā (garlands), toraṇa (arch), and festival-like elements is implied.