Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

राज्यप्रदो दशभिस्तु दशावतार एव च । एकादशभिरैश्वर्य्यमनिरुद्धः प्रयच्छति

Transliteration

rājyaprado daśabhistu daśāvatāra eva ca | ekādaśabhiraiśvaryyamaniruddhaḥ prayacchati

Translation

بعشر تلاوات يصير واهبَ المُلك والسلطان—بل هو ربُّ التجسّدات العشر (دشاوَتارا). وبإحدى عشرة تلاوة يمنح أنيرودها السيادةَ والقوةَ والبهاءَ الإلهي.

Word by Word

• राज्यप्रदः: giver of kingship
• राज्यप्रदः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक; √दा (धातु) + प्र- उपसर्ग, क-प्रत्यय/प्रद-शब्द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; समासः राज्य-प्रद (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘राज्यस्य प्रदः/दाता’)

• दशभिः: with ten (i.e., by ten)
• दशभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (संख्याशब्द), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Contrast (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)

• दशावतारः: the ten incarnations (Daśāvatāra)
• दशावतारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक) + अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; समासः दश-अवतार (द्विगु/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः: ‘दशसंख्यकः अवतारः’)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

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

• एकादशभिः: with eleven (i.e., by eleven)
• एकादशभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (संख्याशब्द), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ऐश्वर्यम्: sovereignty/prosperity
• ऐश्वर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• अनिरुद्धः: Aniruddha
• अनिरुद्धः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिरुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रयच्छति: bestows/grants
• प्रयच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यम् (धातु) + प्र- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Dvārakā-māhātmya narrative style within Skanda Purāṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee in Dvārakā performs counted japa before a cakra-emblem and a four-armed Aniruddha form; behind, the sea-walled city and temple spires suggest royal sovereignty bestowed as divine grace.

Characters & Entities

• Daśāvatāra
• Aniruddha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Legitimate power and prosperity are framed as dhārmic gifts of the Lord, gained through devotion rather than mere ambition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, as the sacred realm of Vāsudeva and the vyūhas, where such fruits are proclaimed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Counted Nāma-japa: tenfold associated with the Daśāvatāra Lord; elevenfold with Aniruddha granting aiśvarya.