Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

रत्नाभरणमेतच्च बिभ्रत्कण्ठे सुनिर्मलम् । द्वादशार्कप्रतीकाशं कामदेव इवापरः

Transliteration

ratnābharaṇametacca bibhratkaṇṭhe sunirmalam | dvādaśārkapratīkāśaṃ kāmadeva ivāparaḥ

Translation

അവൻ കഴുത്തിൽ അത്യന്തം നിർമ്മലമായ രത്നാഭരണം ധരിച്ചു; അത് പന്ത്രണ്ട് സൂര്യന്മാരെപ്പോലെ ദീപ്തമായിരുന്നു. അവൻ മറ്റൊരു കാമദേവനെപ്പോലെ തോന്നി.

Word by Word

• रत्नाभरणम्: a jewel-ornament
• रत्नाभरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न + आभरण (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रत्नानाम् आभरणम् = jewel-ornament)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

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

• बिभ्रत्: bearing, wearing
• बिभ्रत्: Kriya (Participial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु) → बिभ्रत् (शतृ/Present active participle)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि-भाव (bearing)

• कण्ठे: on the neck
• कण्ठे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• सुनिर्मलम्: very pure, spotless
• सुनिर्मलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपसर्ग/उपपद: सु- (intensifier); विशेषण (for रत्नाभरणम्)

• द्वादशार्कप्रतीकाशम्: shining like twelve suns
• द्वादशार्कप्रतीकाशम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश + अर्क + प्रतीकाश (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्वादशानाम् अर्काणाम् प्रतीकाशम् = shining like twelve suns)

• कामदेवः: Kāmadeva (god of love)
• कामदेवः: Upamana/Pratimana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम + देव (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (कामः एव देवः)

• इव: like
• इव: Upama-dyotaka (Comparative marker/उपमाद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमावाचक (particle of comparison)

• अपरः: another
• अपरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (for the person described)

Speaker

Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rāghava-śreṣṭha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close view of the youthful figure’s neck ornament—spotless, jewel-bright—casting a halo like twelve suns; his form evokes Kāma-deva’s charm yet remains celestial and dignified.

Characters & Entities

• Agastya
• Kāmadeva
• Twelve Suns (metaphor)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine beauty and radiance in tīrtha narratives symbolize merit (puṇya) and purity; sacred association elevates the being’s splendor and honor.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same sacred taḍāga context; the ornament’s radiance is part of the tīrtha’s extraordinary account.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is descriptive praise highlighting the supernatural quality of the ornament and its bearer.