Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

प्राकारेण सुतुंगेन परिखाद्येन सर्वतः । आयामव्यासतश्चैव क्रोशमात्रं मनोहरम्

Transliteration

prākāreṇa sutuṃgena parikhādyena sarvataḥ | āyāmavyāsataścaiva krośamātraṃ manoharam

Translation

ആ നഗരം എല്ലാടവും ഉയർന്ന പ്രാകാരവും പരിഖ മുതലായവയും കൊണ്ട് ചുറ്റപ്പെട്ടതും, നീളം-വീതി ഒരു ക്രോശമാത്രം വ്യാപിച്ചതും, അത്യന്തം മനോഹരവുമായിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• प्राकारेण: by/with a rampart, by a wall
• प्राकारेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• सुतुङ्गेन: very lofty, high
• सुतुङ्गेन: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुतुङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (प्राकारेण)

• परिखाद्येन: with a moat and the like
• परिखाद्येन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिखा + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘परिखा-आदि’ इति समाहारः; Instrumental singular

• सर्वतः: on all sides, everywhere
• सर्वतः: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Locative sense/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (देशवाचक)

• आयामव्यासतः: as to length and breadth
• आयामव्यासतः: Prakāra (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आयाम + व्यास + तस् (प्रातिपदिक/तद्धित-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त); ‘आयाम’ (length) + ‘व्यास’ (breadth) इति द्वन्द्व-समास; “in terms of length and breadth”

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• क्रोशमात्रम्: measuring a krośa (about a krośa in extent)
• क्रोशमात्रम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोश + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक-विशेषणम् (नगरम्/स्थानम् implied)

• मनोहरम्: beautiful, charming
• मनोहरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (क्रोशमात्रम्/नगरम् implied)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A charming city seen from above: a high encircling wall, broad moats, gateways, and a measured expanse of one krośa by one krośa, suggesting auspicious geometry and protection.

Characters & Entities

• City (Nagara)
• Brāhmaṇa settlement (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Supporting dharma includes tangible planning—safe and well-ordered spaces enable tīrtha practices, study, and community stability.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The city’s construction is part of Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya, implying a sacred hub serving nearby tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse describes protective and aesthetic features of a dharmic settlement.