Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

मणिसोपानशोभाभिर्दीर्घिकाभिः समंततः । आरामकूपयंत्राद्यैः सर्वोपकरणैर्युतम् । निवेद्य ब्राह्मणेंद्राणां कृतकृत्यो बभूव सः

Transliteration

maṇisopānaśobhābhirdīrghikābhiḥ samaṃtataḥ | ārāmakūpayaṃtrādyaiḥ sarvopakaraṇairyutam | nivedya brāhmaṇeṃdrāṇāṃ kṛtakṛtyo babhūva saḥ

Translation

เขาได้ทำให้เมืองงดงามรอบด้านด้วยสระน้ำยาว ๆ ที่มีบันไดงามดุจแก้วมณี พร้อมทั้งจัดสวน บ่อบาดาล เครื่องชักน้ำ และเครื่องอุปกรณ์ทุกประการให้ครบถ้วน แล้วถวายเมืองนั้นโดยพิธีแก่พราหมณ์ผู้ประเสริฐ ครั้นแล้วจึงรู้สึกว่าหน้าที่ตนสำเร็จบริบูรณ์

Word by Word

• मणि: gem
• मणि: Sambandha (Compound-member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रातिपदिकम्; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• सोपान: stair/step
• सोपान: Sambandha (Compound-member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोपान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रातिपदिकम्; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• शोभाभिः: with splendors/beauties
• शोभाभिः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural, feminine)

• दीर्घिकाभिः: with ponds/tanks
• दीर्घिकाभिः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीर्घिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural, feminine)

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• समन्ततः: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb of place)

• आराम: garden/pleasure-grove
• आराम: Sambandha (Compound-member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आराम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रातिपदिकम्; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• कूप: well
• कूप: Sambandha (Compound-member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रातिपदिकम्; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• यन्त्र: device/mechanism
• यन्त्र: Sambandha (Compound-member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रातिपदिकम्; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• आद्यैः: and other such (things)
• आद्यैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural, neuter); ‘आदि’ = ‘and the like’

• सर्व: all
• सर्व: Sambandha (Compound-member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• उपकरणैः: with implements/equipment
• उपकरणैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपकरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural, neuter)

• युतम्: endowed/connected with
• युतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युत (युज् धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle)

• निवेद्य: having offered/dedicated
• निवेद्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Converb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-विद् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-भावे कृदन्तम्; ल्यप्/क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund/absolutive)

• ब्राह्मणेन्द्राणाम्: to the chiefs of Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणेन्द्राणाम्: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिके; समासः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Genitive plural, masculine); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘ब्राह्मणानाम् इन्द्राः’

• कृतकृत्यः: having fulfilled his duty
• कृतकृत्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + कृत्य (प्रातिपदिके; समासः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, masculine); कर्मधारयः ‘कृतं कृत्यं येन’ (one whose duty is done)

• बभूव: became
• बभूव: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम् (3rd person singular)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, masculine pronoun)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration; speaker not explicit in the snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śaṅkhatīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A prosperous sacred town ringed by long reservoirs with jewel-like steps, gardens and wells; the founder ceremonially offers the settlement to eminent Brahmins, who receive it with solemn blessing.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Public welfare and sacred giving (dāna)—when dedicated in a dharmic spirit—become a complete religious accomplishment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader episode belongs to the Śaṅkhatīrtha-centered Tīrthamāhātmya in Nāgarakhaṇḍa (explicitly named in the next verse).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A formal dedication (nivedana/dāna) of a well-equipped settlement and its amenities to Brahmins.