Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

मित्रस्य राहुवित्रासनिवर्त्तनमिवापरम् । सकौस्तुभप्रभाचक्रं बिभ्राणं प्रवलारुणम्

Transliteration

mitrasya rāhuvitrāsanivarttanamivāparam | sakaustubhaprabhācakraṃ bibhrāṇaṃ pravalāruṇam

Translation

Wie die Kraft der Sonne, die den Schrecken Rāhus vertreibt, trug Er den strahlenden Kreis des Glanzes der Kaustubha, korallenrot an Farbe.

Word by Word

• mitrasya: of the sun (Mitra)
• mitrasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (मित्र), षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• rāhu: Rāhu
• rāhu: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — समासपूर्वपद

• vitrāsa: terror; fright
• vitrāsa: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vitrāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — समासमध्यपद

• nivarttanam: the dispelling of Rāhu’s terror
• nivarttanam: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nivarttana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समस्तपद (rāhu-vitrāsa-nivarttana)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (Comparator/उपमाद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक

• aparam: another; further
• aparam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (चक्रं/प्रभाचक्रं इति विशेषणम्)

• sa: with
• sa: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक/समवायसूचक (meaning 'with') — समासपूर्वपद

• kaustubha: Kaustubha jewel
• kaustubha: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaustubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — समासमध्यपद

• prabhā: radiance
• prabhā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — समासमध्यपद

• cakram: a disc (circle) of radiance with Kaustubha
• cakram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समस्तपद (sa-kaustubha-prabhā-cakra)

• bibhrāṇam: bearing; wearing
• bibhrāṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bibhrāṇa (कृदन्त; √bhṛ/भृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• pravalāruṇam: coral-red
• pravalāruṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pravala + aruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समस्तपद (pravala-aruṇa)

Speaker

Narrator (description of the Lord’s radiance and Kaustubha)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu’s chest radiates with Kaustubha-like brilliance, a coral-red aura-ring; the simile of the sun dispelling Rāhu suggests a partial eclipse breaking into full light behind Him.

Characters & Entities

• Mitra (Sun)
• Rāhu
• Kaustubha
• Viṣṇu (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine radiance removes fear and delusion, just as light overcomes eclipse-darkness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā, where the narrative frames the Lord’s protective, fear-dispelling presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse conveys protection through remembrance of the Lord’s tejas (splendor).