Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

हस्त्यश्वरथपत्त्याढ्या संपदुच्चा च संस्थिता । प्राकाराढ्यप्रतोलीभिस्तोरणैः कांचनप्रभैः

Transliteration

hastyaśvarathapattyāḍhyā saṃpaduccā ca saṃsthitā | prākārāḍhyapratolībhistoraṇaiḥ kāṃcanaprabhaiḥ

Translation

അവൾ ഹസ്തി, അശ്വം, രഥം, പാദാതി സേന എന്നിവകൊണ്ട് സമൃദ്ധയും ഉന്നത സമ്പത്തിൽ സ്ഥാപിതയുമാണ്; ദൃഢ പ്രാകാരങ്ങൾ, ഭവ്യ പ്രതോലി ദ്വാരങ്ങൾ, കാഞ്ചനപ്രഭ തോരണങ്ങൾ എന്നിവാൽ അലങ്കൃതയാണ്.

Word by Word

• हस्त्यश्वरथपत्त्याढ्या: rich in elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry
• हस्त्यश्वरथपत्त्याढ्या: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हस्ति-अश्व-रथ-पत्ति-आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (हस्त्यश्व-रथ-पत्तिभिः आढ्या)

• संपत्: prosperity
• संपत्: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• उच्चा: lofty / great
• उच्चा: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• संस्थिता: well-established / situated
• संस्थिता: Kriya (Predicative/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; स्था धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; भूतकृदन्तः—क्त (past passive participle)

• प्राकाराढ्यप्रतोलीभिः: with rich walls and gateways
• प्राकाराढ्यप्रतोलीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राकार-आढ्य-प्रतोली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारय-समुच्चयः (आढ्याः प्राकाराः, प्रतोल्यः च)

• तोरणैः: with arches / gateways
• तोरणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्

• काञ्चनप्रभैः: golden-shining
• काञ्चनप्रभैः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काञ्चन-प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्; समासः—कर्मधारयः (काञ्चनी प्रभा येषाम्)

Speaker

Narrator/reciter within Ayodhyāmāhātmya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic view of Ayodhyā: processions of elephants and horses, chariots rolling on broad streets; towering ramparts and monumental gateways; golden arches catching sunlight.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ayodhyā’s dharmic greatness is reflected not only in sanctity but also in order, protection, and auspicious prosperity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā, portrayed as a prosperous and well-fortified sacred capital.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is a māhātmya-style descriptive praise of the city’s auspicious features.