Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 80

Devanagari script

गन्धर्वनगरैश्चापि नानाप्राकारतोरणैः । मुंचद्भिरद्भुताकारैरस्त्रवृष्टिं समंततः

Transliteration

gandharvanagaraiścāpi nānāprākāratoraṇaiḥ | muṃcadbhiradbhutākārairastravṛṣṭiṃ samaṃtataḥ

Translation

ആ ഗന്ധർവനഗരങ്ങളും നാനാവിധ പ്രാകാര-തോരണങ്ങളാൽ അലങ്കരിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നു. അത്ഭുതാകാരമായ ആയുധങ്ങൾ എല്ലാടവും എറിയപ്പെട്ടു; ചുറ്റുമെങ്ങും ആയുധവൃഷ്ടി പെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• गन्धर्वनगरैः: by Gandharva-cities
• गन्धर्वनगरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + नगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: गन्धर्वाणां नगराणि

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-अव्यय (also)

• नानाप्राकारतोरणैः: with various ramparts and gateways
• नानाप्राकारतोरणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + प्राकार (प्रातिपदिक) + तोरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); द्वन्द्व (itaretara): प्राकाराः च तोरणानि च; नाना = विविध (adverbial qualifier)

• मुंचद्भिः: by (those) releasing/pouring
• मुंचद्भिः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (Present Active Participle), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc/Neut), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• अद्भुताकारैः: of wondrous forms
• अद्भुताकारैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक) + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मधारय: अद्भुतः आकारः येषाम् (wonderful-formed); विशेषणम् (qualifying मुंचद्भिः/गन्धर्वनगरैः)

• अस्त्रवृष्टिम्: a shower of weapons
• अस्त्रवृष्टिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: अस्त्राणां वृष्टिः

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• समन्ततः: Desha (Place/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: on all sides)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Aerial ‘cities’ appear—fantastic fortifications with gates and towers—while from every side pours a rain of strange-shaped weapons, encircling the daitya forces.

Characters & Entities

• Gandharva-nagara (illusory city)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even dazzling, ‘celestial’ displays (māyā) can conceal violence; discernment and dharma are needed amid spectacle.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse; it is a battle-description within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse focuses on martial imagery (astra-vṛṣṭi) rather than vrata, dāna, or snāna.