Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

रक्तवस्त्रैः कंचुकीभी रुक्मिणीं परिधापयेत् । विप्रपत्नीश्च विप्रांश्च विष्णुर्मेप्रीयतामिति

Transliteration

raktavastraiḥ kaṃcukībhī rukmiṇīṃ paridhāpayet | viprapatnīśca viprāṃśca viṣṇurmeprīyatāmiti

Translation

Man soll Rukmiṇī in rote Gewänder und Mieder kleiden; und die Frauen der Brāhmaṇas sowie die Brāhmaṇas ehren mit dem Gebet: „Möge Viṣṇu an mir Wohlgefallen finden.“

Word by Word

• रक्तवस्त्रैः: with red garments
• रक्तवस्त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• कंचुकीभिः: with bodices/jackets
• कंचुकीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कंचुकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• रुक्मिणीम्: Rukmiṇī (image/representation)
• रुक्मिणीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्मिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• परिधापयेत्: should clothe/adorn
• परिधापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + धा (धातु) (णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative ‘should cause to be clothed/adorn’

• विप्रपत्नीः: Brahmin wives
• विप्रपत्नीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction

• विप्रान्: Brahmins
• विप्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• मे: for me / to me
• मे: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; enclitic ‘of me/to me’ (here dative sense)

• प्रीयताम्: may (he) be pleased
• प्रीयताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्री (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘let (him) be pleased’

• इति: thus
• इति: Vakyartha (Quotation end)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; quotation marker

Speaker

Deductive (Dvārakā Māhātmya context within Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa): a Purāṇic narrator prescribing devotion to Rukmiṇī-Keśava and honoring brāhmaṇa households

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rukmiṇī’s image is ceremonially dressed in red garments and a bodice; brāhmaṇas and their wives are seated for honor and offerings; the devotee prays ‘May Viṣṇu be pleased with me’ within a Dvārakā shrine setting.

Characters & Entities

• Rukmiṇī
• Viṣṇu
• Keśava
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion to Viṣṇu is expressed through reverence to Rukmiṇī and respectful support of brāhmaṇa families.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā is implied through the presence of Rukmiṇī-Keśava devotion in Dvārakā Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Adorn Rukmiṇī with red clothing, honor brāhmaṇas and their wives, and dedicate the act with the prayer for Viṣṇu’s pleasure.