Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

रक्षार्थं सर्वविप्राणां चमत्कारेण भूभुजा । भवद्भ्यां निर्मितः श्रेष्ठः प्रासादोऽयं मनोहरः

Transliteration

rakṣārthaṃ sarvaviprāṇāṃ camatkāreṇa bhūbhujā | bhavadbhyāṃ nirmitaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ prāsādo'yaṃ manoharaḥ

Translation

സകല ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാരുടെ രക്ഷയ്ക്കായി രാജാവ് അത്ഭുതകരമായ കൃത്യത്തിലൂടെ, നിങ്ങളിരുവരാൽ ഈ ശ്രേഷ്ഠവും മനോഹരവും ആയ പ്രാസാദ-ദേവാലയം നിർമ്മിക്കപ്പെട്ടു।

Word by Word

• रक्षार्थम्: for protection
• रक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; प्रयोजनवाचकं (for the purpose of protection)

• सर्वविप्राणाम्: of all brāhmaṇas
• सर्वविप्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• चमत्कारेण: by a miracle
• चमत्कारेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चमत्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• भूभुजा: by the king
• भूभुजा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूभुज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• भवद्भ्याम्: by you two
• भवद्भ्याम्: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम-प्रयोग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), द्विवचन; आदरार्थे (honorific)

• निर्मितः: constructed
• निर्मितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + √मा (मा॒ङ्; धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय; past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘made/constructed’

• श्रेष्ठः: excellent
• श्रेष्ठः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• प्रासादः: palace/temple-building
• प्रासादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Anvaya (Deictic/निर्देशक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मनोहरः: beautiful
• मनोहरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration; verse addresses ‘you two’ within the story’s divine-human agency)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king, with two principal builders/agents, consecrates a splendid prāsāda near a cave-shrine; brāhmaṇas stand protected and honored; the atmosphere is auspicious with lamps, banners, and offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Bhūbhuj (king)
• Vipra/Brāhmaṇas
• Prāsāda
• Camatkāra (marvel)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Righteous kingship supports dharma by protecting the learned and establishing sacred structures through divine cooperation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A prāsāda/temple establishment within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Ambāvṛddhā Māhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it highlights protective temple-building as a dhārmic act aligned with sacred geography.