Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तः सहस्राक्षस्ततः प्रासादमुत्तमम् । तदर्थं निर्मयामास साध्वालोकं मनोहरम्

Transliteration

evamuktaḥ sahasrākṣastataḥ prāsādamuttamam | tadarthaṃ nirmayāmāsa sādhvālokaṃ manoharam

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ ഉപദേശം ലഭിച്ച സഹസ്രാക്ഷൻ (ഇന്ദ്രൻ) അതിനായി ഒരു ഉത്തമ പ്രാസാദം (ക്ഷേത്രം) നിർമ്മിപ്പിച്ചു—സാധുക്കൾക്ക് ദർശനയോഗ്യമായ മനോഹരവും രമണീയവും ആയത്।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकार/adverb)

• उक्तः: having been addressed/spoken to
• उक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सहस्राक्षः: the thousand-eyed one (Indra)
• सहस्राक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (सहस्रम् अक्षाणि यस्य)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (then/thereafter)

• प्रासादम्: palace, temple-building
• प्रासादम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Karman (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (प्रासादस्य)

• तदर्थम्: for that purpose
• तदर्थम्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Purpose)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (तस्य अर्थम् = for that purpose), अव्यय (adverbial)

• निर्मयामास: constructed, made
• निर्मयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्मा (धातु: निर् + मा)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• साधु: well, properly
• साधु: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण: well/properly)

• आलोकम्: view, appearance/structure (āloka)
• आलोकम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मनोहरम्: charming, delightful
• मनोहरम्: Karman (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (आलोकस्य/प्रासादस्य)

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra oversees the building of a splendid temple: artisans carving pillars, raising a śikhara; the structure gleams, inviting holy men; Indra stands with vajra, yet in patron posture.

Characters & Entities

• Sahasrākṣa (Indra)
• Prāsāda (temple/shrine)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion matures into seva: establishing places of worship supports public dharma and extends sacred benefit to future pilgrims.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra-associated Śaiva site where Indra commissions a prāsāda for worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not a rite, but a dharmic act: constructing an excellent shrine/temple as an offering in service of the tīrtha and deity.