Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

स्वर्णप्राकारसंयुक्तं शोभितं विविधाश्रमैः । दुर्गमं शत्रुवर्गस्य तदा पार्थिवसत्तम

Transliteration

svarṇaprākārasaṃyuktaṃ śobhitaṃ vividhāśramaiḥ | durgamaṃ śatruvargasya tadā pārthivasattama

Translation

ข้าแต่มหากษัตริย์ผู้ประเสริฐ ป้อมสวรรค์นั้นมีเชิงเทินทองคำล้อมรอบ งามด้วยอาศรมศักดิ์สิทธิ์นานา; สำหรับหมู่ศัตรูแล้ว ในกาลนั้นยากจะเข้าถึงโดยสิ้นเชิง

Word by Word

• स्वर्ण: gold
• स्वर्ण: Sambandha (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (stem in compound)

• प्राकार: rampart / wall
• प्राकार: Sambandha (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (stem in compound)

• संयुक्तम्: joined with / furnished with
• संयुक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + युज् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle) विशेषणरूपेण; नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• शोभितम्: adorned
• शोभितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ्/शोभ् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle) विशेषणरूपेण; नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• विविध: various
• विविध: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, तृतीया, बहुवचनम् (in compound with āśrama)

• आश्रमैः: with hermitages/āśramas
• आश्रमैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचनम्

• दुर्गमम्: hard to access
• दुर्गमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमासः; नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• शत्रु: of the enemy
• शत्रु: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी, एकवचनम् (in compound relation)

• वर्गस्य: of the enemy group
• वर्गस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (शत्रूणां वर्गः); पुंलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (then)

• पार्थिव: O king
• पार्थिव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम् (in compound with sattama)

• सत्तम: best (of kings)
• सत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (पार्थिवेषु सत्तमः); पुंलिङ्गम्, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa or a section-narrator within Revā Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: pārthiva-sattama / nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant celestial citadel with golden walls, studded with multiple hermitages; devas within; enemies kept at bay by sanctity and splendor.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine realms are portrayed as protected by dharma and sacred order, symbolized by golden fortifications and āśramas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific earthly tīrtha is named in this verse; it describes a celestial stronghold (Svarga/Indra’s domain) within the Revā Khaṇḍa narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.