Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

निर्ममे देवदेवस्य स्वेच्छावर्द्धिष्णुमंदिरम् । सर्वर्द्धिमत्प्रशस्ताभं मणिविद्रुमभूषितम्

Transliteration

nirmame devadevasya svecchāvarddhiṣṇumaṃdiram | sarvarddhimatpraśastābhaṃ maṇividrumabhūṣitam

Translation

देवदेवस्य विश्वकर्मा स्वेच्छावर्द्धिष्णुमन्दिरम् निर्ममे। सर्वर्द्धिमत् प्रशस्ताभं मणिविद्रुमभूषितम्॥

Word by Word

• निर्ममे: constructed
• निर्ममे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+मा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — 'made/constructed'

• देवदेवस्य: of the god of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः — 'of the god of gods'

• स्वेच्छावर्द्धिष्णु: expanding at will
• स्वेच्छावर्द्धिष्णु: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + इच्छा + वर्द्धिष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपपद/तत्पुरुष-समासः — 'growing according to one’s will' (agreeing with मन्दिरम्)

• मन्दिरम्: temple, mansion
• मन्दिरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — object of निर्ममे

• सर्वर्द्धिमत्: possessing all riches
• सर्वर्द्धिमत्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + ऋद्धि + मत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त — 'possessing all prosperity' (agreeing with मन्दिरम्)

• प्रशस्ताभम्: of praised splendour
• प्रशस्ताभम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रशस्त + आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः — 'having excellent splendour/appearance'

• मणिविद्रुमभूषितम्: adorned with jewels and coral
• मणिविद्रुमभूषितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मणि + विद्रुम + भूषित (कृदन्त; भूष् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तृतीया/करण-तत्पुरुषः (मणि-विद्रुमैः भूषितम्) — 'adorned with jewels and coral'

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mandarācala-śaiva-kṣetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viśvakarmā completes a luminous temple for the Devadeva—its form subtly expanding as if alive, surfaces studded with gems and coral, emanating auspicious brilliance.

Characters & Entities

• Devadeva (Śiva, implied)
• Viśvakarmā (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The temple is portrayed as a living expression of divine will and prosperity—suggesting that devotion manifests as beauty, order, and sacred dwelling for the Lord.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A specific tīrtha-name is not stated in this verse; the emphasis is on the divinely fashioned temple within the chapter’s sacred-place narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse supports temple-centric devotion (darśana and worship are implied by the temple’s glorification).