Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 101

Devanagari script

विमानप्रतिमाकारा रथास्तेन प्रकल्पिताः । किंकिणीजालसद्घंटापताकाभिरलंकृताः

Transliteration

vimānapratimākārā rathāstena prakalpitāḥ | kiṃkiṇījālasadghaṃṭāpatākābhiralaṃkṛtāḥ

Translation

അവൻ വിമാനസദൃശ രൂപമുള്ള രഥങ്ങൾ ഒരുക്കിച്ചു—ഝങ്കാരിക്കുന്ന കിങ്കിണിവല, ഘണ്ടകൾ, പാറുന്ന പതാകകൾ എന്നിവകൊണ്ട് അലങ്കൃതമായി।

Word by Word

• vimāna-pratimā-ākārāḥ: having the form like aerial chariots (vimānas)
• vimāna-pratimā-ākārāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimāna (प्रातिपदिक) + pratimā (प्रातिपदिक) + ākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—(विमानस्य प्रतिमा इव) आकारः येषां ते

• rathāḥ: chariots
• rathāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• tena: by him/with that
• tena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• prakalpitāḥ: were arranged/constructed
• prakalpitāḥ: Kriyā (Predicate; passive participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√kḷp (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘निर्मिताः/प्रकल्पिताः’

• kiṃkiṇī-jāla-sat-ghaṃṭā-patākābhiḥ: with networks of bells, resonant bells, and flags
• kiṃkiṇī-jāla-sat-ghaṃṭā-patākābhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kiṃkiṇī (प्रातिपदिक) + jāla (प्रातिपदिक) + sat (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + ghaṃṭā (प्रातिपदिक) + patākā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (किंकिणीजालं च सद्घण्टाः च पताकाः च)

• alaṃkṛtāḥ: adorned
• alaṃkṛtāḥ: Kriyā (Predicate; passive participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: alaṃ-√kṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice, contextually Sūta)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Chariots crafted to resemble vimānas, glittering with nets of tiny bells and resonant ornaments; banners ripple above; the chariot line looks like a moving aerial palace procession on earth.

Characters & Entities

• Arbuda-parvata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ornamented power can impress the eye, but it cannot substitute for righteousness; dharma alone grants true victory.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Arbuda-parvata cycle is the geographic frame; this verse highlights the grandeur of the assembled forces.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.