Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

चतुष्टयसखीमध्ये विर राज शुभानना । तस्याः सान्निध्ययोगेन जगद्भाति गुणोत्तरम्

Transliteration

catuṣṭayasakhīmadhye vira rāja śubhānanā | tasyāḥ sānnidhyayogena jagadbhāti guṇottaram

Translation

ท่ามกลางสหายสี่นาง พระนางผู้มีพักตร์งามสว่างไสวประหนึ่งราชเทวี และด้วยอานุภาพแห่งการประทับใกล้ของพระนาง โลกทั้งปวงแลดูยกสูงด้วยคุณธรรมและความประเสริฐ

Word by Word

• चतुष्टयसखीमध्ये: in the midst of the four friends
• चतुष्टयसखीमध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुष्टय + सखी + मध्ये (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; चतुष्टयस्य सखीनां मध्ये (in the midst of the group of four female friends)

• विरराज: shone forth, was splendid
• विरराज: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + राज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• शुभानना: beautiful-faced
• शुभानना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ + आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः—शुभम् आननं यस्याः (she of auspicious/beautiful face)

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• सान्निध्ययोगेन: by the influence of (her) presence
• सान्निध्ययोगेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सान्निध्य + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental), एकवचनम्; सान्निध्यस्य योगः (by the connection/power of proximity)

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• भाति: shines, appears
• भाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• गुणोत्तरम्: more excellent, superior in qualities
• गुणोत्तरम्: Karta-complement/Predicate (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; गुणेभ्यः उत्तरम् (surpassing in qualities; excellent)

Speaker

Deductive: Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa narrating to sages

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Devī stands radiant within a quartet of companions, forming a luminous circle; her presence seems to brighten the whole world, suggesting moral and cosmic elevation.

Characters & Entities

• Bhavānī (implied)
• Jayā (implied)
• Vijayā (implied)
• Jayantī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sānnidhya (holy proximity) transforms perception and character—the Goddess’s presence makes the world ‘shine’ with higher guṇa, reflecting the purifying effect of sacred company.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the tīrtha-māhātmya atmosphere but does not name the site in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual instruction is given; the emphasis is on darśana and the merit of divine proximity.