Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 134

Devanagari script

बालमंडनसांनिध्ये स्थापयामास तत्तदा । विप्रपुण्याहघोषेण गीतवादित्रनिस्वनैः

Transliteration

bālamaṃḍanasāṃnidhye sthāpayāmāsa tattadā | viprapuṇyāhaghoṣeṇa gītavāditranisvanaiḥ

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ബാലമണ്ഡനത്തിന്റെ സാന്നിധ്യത്തിൽ അവൻ അതിനെ സ്ഥാപിച്ചു— ബ്രാഹ്മണരുടെ പുണ്യാഹഘോഷവും ഗീത-വാദ്യങ്ങളുടെ നാദവും മുഴങ്ങെ।

Word by Word

• बालमण्डनसांनिध्ये: in the vicinity of Bālamaṇḍana
• बालमण्डनसांनिध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालमण्डन + सांनिध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘बालमण्डनस्य सांनिध्यम्’ = in the vicinity of Bālamaṇḍana)

• स्थापयामास: installed; set up
• स्थापयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्थापय् (स्थाप्-णिच्, धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘he installed’

• तत्: that (liṅga)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (adverb: ‘then’)

• विप्रपुण्याहघोषेण: by the Brahmins’ ‘puṇyāha’ proclamation
• विप्रपुण्याहघोषेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र + पुण्याह + घोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समाहार/तत्पुरुष (‘विप्राणां पुण्याहस्य घोषः’), साधनभावे

• गीतवादित्रनिस्वनैः: with the sounds of songs and musical instruments
• गीतवादित्रनिस्वनैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत + वादित्र + निस्वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (sounds of singing and instruments)

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bālamaṇḍana / Āghāṭa (linked contextually)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vivid consecration tableau: Indra installs the liṅga near/within Bālamaṇḍana; brāhmaṇas chant puṇyāha; singers and instrumentalists create a resonant festive soundscape; lamps, flowers, and kalaśas abound.

Characters & Entities

• Bālamaṇḍana
• Liṅga (installed)
• Brahmins (vipra)
• Ritual music (gīta-vāditra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Public, dharmic worship—supported by mantra, blessing, and sacred sound—turns a holy place into a living center of devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Bālamaṇḍana and its immediate sacred precinct, where the liṅga is installed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā is performed with puṇyāha proclamations and ceremonial singing/instrumental music.