Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

कौस्तुभेन विराजंतं सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभम् । दंडहस्तं शिखासूत्रसहितं पीतवाससम्

Transliteration

kaustubhena virājaṃtaṃ sūryakoṭisamaprabham | daṃḍahastaṃ śikhāsūtrasahitaṃ pītavāsasam

Translation

Er soll Ihn betrachten, strahlend mit dem Kaustubha-Juwel, leuchtend wie zehn Millionen Sonnen—den Stab in der Hand, geschmückt mit śikhā und heiliger Schnur, und in gelbe Gewänder gekleidet.

Word by Word

• कौस्तुभेन: with the Kaustubha (gem)
• कौस्तुभेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौस्तुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• विराजन्तम्: shining; resplendent
• विराजन्तम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + राज् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; 'shining' (qualifying Viṣṇu)

• सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभम्: having brilliance equal to ten million suns
• सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूर्य + कोटि + सम + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः: सूर्यकोट्या समा प्रभा यस्य (having radiance equal to ten million suns)

• दण्डहस्तम्: holding a staff
• दण्डहस्तम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दण्ड + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः: दण्डः हस्ते यस्य (with a staff in hand)

• शिखासूत्रसहितम्: accompanied by the śikhā-cord
• शिखासूत्रसहितम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिखा + सूत्र + सहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः: शिखा-सूत्रेण सहितम् (accompanied with topknot-cord)

• पीतवाससम्: wearing yellow garments
• पीतवाससम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीत + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: पीतं वासः यस्य (wearing yellow garments)

Speaker

Narratorial voice within Tīrthamāhātmya (deductive attribution)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A majestic Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa form: blazing radiance like millions of suns, Kaustubha on the chest, yellow garments flowing, sacred thread and śikhā emphasized, holding a staff; the devotee gazes in concentrated meditation before the altar.

Characters & Entities

• Kaustubha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A focused visualization of the Lord’s form (dhyāna) is itself a devotional act that steadies mind and worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is primarily dhyāna/iconographic instruction within a tīrtha narrative rather than a direct praise of a named location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditate on Viṣṇu’s form with specific attributes: Kaustubha, immense radiance, staff in hand, sacred thread and tuft, yellow garments.