Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

नंदनस्य श्रिया जुष्टं मनोनयननन्दनम् । वनं रम्यतरं चात्र ह्यचिरेण भविष्यति

Transliteration

naṃdanasya śriyā juṣṭaṃ manonayananandanam | vanaṃ ramyataraṃ cātra hyacireṇa bhaviṣyati

Translation

一片蒙受难陀那（Nandana）光辉庄严、令心与眼皆欢悦的森林，将在此地不久出现，并将比从前更为迷人。

Word by Word

• नन्दनस्य: of Nandana (Indra's garden)
• नन्दनस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• श्रिया: with splendor/beauty
• श्रिया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• जुष्टम्: endowed with, graced by
• जुष्टम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √जुष् (धातु) + क्त
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• मनोनयननन्दनम्: delighting the mind and the eyes
• मनोनयननन्दनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक) + नयन (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः: मनसः नयनस्य च नन्दनम् (delighter); नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (वनम् इत्यस्य)

• वनम्: forest, grove
• वनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• रम्यतरम्: more charming
• रम्यतरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक) + तरप् (तुलनाप्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; तुलनात्मक-विशेषणम् (comparative)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (locative adverb)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (emphatic particle)

• अचिरेण: soon, in a short time
• अचिरेण: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अचिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कालवाचक-प्रयोगः (instrumental of time)

• भविष्यति: will become / will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (Simple future), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Narrator within Dvārakā-māhātmya (speaker not explicit in the excerpt)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A prophecy-like vision: on Dvārakā’s sacred ground, a paradise forest begins to arise—trees heavy with blossoms and fruits, light shimmering as if from svarga, delighting mind and eyes.

Characters & Entities

• Nandana (celestial garden of Indra)
• Indra (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The holiness of a place is shown by its capacity to become ‘heaven on earth,’ uplifting perception and inner mind.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā and its environs, within the Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa’s Dvārakā-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is mentioned; the verse supports pilgrimage motivation through praise of the setting.