Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

स्थूणासहस्रसंयुक्तं मणिवेदिमनोहरम् । गणा नंदिप्रभृतयो यस्य द्वारि समाश्रिताः

Transliteration

sthūṇāsahasrasaṃyuktaṃ maṇivedimanoharam | gaṇā naṃdiprabhṛtayo yasya dvāri samāśritāḥ

Translation

അത് ആയിരം തൂണുകളാൽ സമന്വിതവും മണിമയ വേദികളാൽ മനോഹരവുമായിരുന്നു. അതിന്റെ വാതിലിൽ നന്ദി മുതലായ ഗണങ്ങൾ കാവലായി നിലകൊണ്ടിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• स्थूणासहस्रसंयुक्तम्: connected with a thousand pillars
• स्थूणासहस्रसंयुक्तम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थूणा + सहस्र + संयुक्त (कृदन्त; युज् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तृतीया/करण-तत्पुरुषः (स्थूणासहस्रेण संयुक्तम्) — 'joined with a thousand pillars'

• मणिवेदिमनोहरम्: charming with jewel-altars
• मणिवेदिमनोहरम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मणि + वेदि + मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुषः — 'charming with jewel-altars' (agreeing with मन्दिरम् understood)

• गणाः: the gaṇas
• गणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन — subject

• नन्दिप्रभृतयः: beginning with Nandi
• नन्दिप्रभृतयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दि + प्रभृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः — 'beginning with Nandi'

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — relative 'whose'

• द्वारि: at the door
• द्वारि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन — 'at the door'

• समाश्रिताः: were stationed, had taken refuge
• समाश्रिताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ+श्रि (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — 'having taken refuge/standing by'

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in a Māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mandarācala-Śiva-prāsāda (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast thousand-pillared mandapa gleams; jewel-built altars sparkle. At the main gate stand Nandin and other gaṇas as vigilant guardians, weapons and emblems visible, posture firm.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇas
• Nandin

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred space is protected and sanctified; approaching Śiva’s abode implies reverence, purity, and recognition of divine guardianship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse glorifies the temple setting within the chapter; the exact tīrtha-name is not stated in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the imagery supports temple worship and respectful entry (dvāra-sevā) as implied practice.