Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

संस्थानं कीदृशं तस्यास्तस्यां के च महीभुजः । कानि तीर्थानि पुण्यानि माहात्म्यं तेषु कीदृशम्

Transliteration

saṃsthānaṃ kīdṛśaṃ tasyāstasyāṃ ke ca mahībhujaḥ | kāni tīrthāni puṇyāni māhātmyaṃ teṣu kīdṛśam

Translation

ผังเมืองและรูปโฉมของนางเป็นเช่นไร? ในเมืองนั้นมีพระราชาองค์ใดบ้าง? มีตีรถะอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์และก่อบุญใดบ้าง และมหิมาของแต่ละแห่งเป็นอย่างไร

Word by Word

• संस्थानम्: layout/form
• संस्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कीदृशम्: of what kind?
• कीदृशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-विशेषणम् (संस्थानम्)

• तस्याः: of her/of it
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्याम्: in her/in it
• तस्याम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• के: who? which (persons)?
• के: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

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

• महीभुजः: kings (earth-bearers)
• महीभुजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही-भुज् (प्रातिपदिक; मही + भुज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (महीं भुनक्ति/पालयति)

• कानि: which (things)?
• कानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• तीर्थानि: pilgrimage places
• तीर्थानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पुण्यानि: holy/meritorious
• पुण्यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (तीर्थानि)

• माहात्म्यम्: greatness
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तेषु: in them/among them
• तेषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• कीदृशम्: of what kind?
• कीदृशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-विशेषणम् (माहात्म्यम्)

Speaker

Ṛṣis (sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā (internal tīrthas to be enumerated)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A conceptual ‘map’ scene: sages ask about Ayodhyā’s shape, its kings, and its holy bathing spots—like opening a sacred atlas.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā
• Tīrthas
• Mahībhuj (kings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Understanding a holy place includes its sacred landscape, its righteous history, and the tīrthas that embody dharma and merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā broadly; specific tīrthas are requested but not yet named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse seeks details that typically guide pilgrimage practice.