Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

विश्वस्य पालने विष्णोर्या शक्तिः परिपालिका । मदनोन्मादिनी मुख्या पातु मां कनकेश्वरी

Transliteration

viśvasya pālane viṣṇoryā śaktiḥ paripālikā | madanonmādinī mukhyā pātu māṃ kanakeśvarī

Translation

Möge Kanakeśvarī mich beschützen—sie, die bei Viṣṇus Bewahrung des Alls die erhaltende, schützende Kraft ist; die vornehmste Energie, die selbst den Taumel der Begierde, Madana, zu entfachen vermag.

Word by Word

• विश्वस्य: of the universe
• विश्वस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• पालने: in/for the protection
• पालने: Adhikaraṇa (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पालन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (locative of purpose/context)

• विष्णोः: of Vishnu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• या: which
• या: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘शक्तिः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• शक्तिः: power
• शक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• परिपालिका: protectress
• परिपालिका: Viśeṣaṇa (Appositional qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-पाल् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (ण्वुल्/तृच्-भावे agent noun), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘protectress’

• मदनोन्मादिनी: enchanting/causing love-madness
• मदनोन्मादिनी: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मदन (प्रातिपदिक) + उन्मादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘मदनेन उन्मादिनी’ (one who maddens/causes frenzy like Madana)

• मुख्या: chief, foremost
• मुख्या: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘शक्तिः/कनकेश्वरी’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पातु: may (she) protect
• पातु: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive sense), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कनकेश्वरी: Kanakeśvarī (goddess)
• कनकेश्वरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनक (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘कनकस्य ईश्वरी’ (Lady of gold / Kanakeśvarī)

Speaker

Garuḍa (stuti/prayer, contextually)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kanakeśvarī-sthāna (Revā-khaṇḍa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī Kanakeśvarī stands beside Viṣṇu as his paripālikā śakti, with a protective aura encircling the world; Madana (Kāma) appears subdued, bow lowered, symbolizing desire brought under control by her foremost energy.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Madana
• Kanakeśvarī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine protection and cosmic order are upheld through Śakti; even desire and passion are ultimately governed by the Goddess.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā region (Narmadā corridor) is the broader sacred setting in which Kanakeśvarī is praised.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse is a devotional invocation for protection.