Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

इष्टा धनपतेर्नित्यं वर्चानाम महाबल । मम सख्यश्चतस्रोऽन्याः सर्वाः कामगमाः शुभाः

Transliteration

iṣṭā dhanapaternityaṃ varcānāma mahābala | mama sakhyaścatasro'nyāḥ sarvāḥ kāmagamāḥ śubhāḥ

Translation

«يا ذا البأس العظيم، إنّي محبوبةٌ دائمًا لدى دهنابتي (كوبيرا)، واسمي فَرجا. ولي أربعُ رفيقاتٍ أُخَر، كلّهنّ مباركات، ولكلٍّ منهنّ أن تذهب حيث تشاء.»

Word by Word

• iṣṭā: dear/favored
• iṣṭā: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: iṣṭa (इष्ट-प्रातिपदिक; √iṣ/इष् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (भूतकृत्/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘प्रिय/इष्टा’

• dhanapateḥ: of the lord of wealth (Kubera)
• dhanapateḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanapati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-visheshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverbial accusative)

• varcā: splendor
• varcā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varcas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘तेजः/कान्तिः’

• nāma: named/called
• nāma: Sambandha (Apposition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय (quotative/‘named’)

• mahābala: O mighty one
• mahābala: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘महान् बलः यस्य’ (address)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• sakhyaḥ: friends (female)
• sakhyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sakhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘सख्यः’ = female friends

• catasraḥ: four
• catasraḥ: Visheshana (Numeral/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catasṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• anyāḥ: other
• anyāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘सख्यः’ इति विशेषणम्

• sarvāḥ: all
• sarvāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘सख्यः’ इति विशेषणम्

• kāmagamāḥ: able to go at will
• kāmagamāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + gama (गम् धातु से ‘गम’/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘कामेन गम्यन्ते/कामं गच्छन्ति’ = at will-moving

• śubhāḥ: auspicious/beautiful
• śubhāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘सख्यः’ इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Varcā (Apsaras)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Devarāṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The apsaras identifies herself as Varcā, beloved of Dhanapati, and mentions four companions with wish-fulfilling mobility; the tone is self-identifying, slightly proud yet narrative-neutral.

Characters & Entities

• Dhanapati (Kubera)
• Varcā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even exalted celestial status and supernatural freedom remain subordinate to dharma; power and mobility do not equal moral authority.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse identifies celestial lineage and companions.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is self-identification within the narrative.