Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

तथा त्वं सर्वदेवानां धनगोप्ता भविष्यसि । चतुर्थो लोकपालानामक्षयश्चाव्ययो भुवि

Transliteration

tathā tvaṃ sarvadevānāṃ dhanagoptā bhaviṣyasi | caturtho lokapālānāmakṣayaścāvyayo bhuvi

Translation

“Thus you shall become the guardian of the wealth of all the gods, the fourth among the Lokapālas—imperishable and undecaying upon the earth.”

Word by Word

• तथा: thus; likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सर्वदेवानाम्: of all the gods
• सर्वदेवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सर्वे देवाः)

• धनगोप्ता: protector/guardian of wealth
• धनगोप्ता: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन + गोप्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; √गुप् ‘to protect’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धनस्य गोप्ता)

• भविष्यसि: you will be
• भविष्यसि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• चतुर्थः: fourth
• चतुर्थः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• लोकपालानाम्: of the world-guardians (Lokapālas)
• लोकपालानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + पाल (प्रातिपदिक; √पाल् ‘to protect’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य पालाः)

• अक्षयः: imperishable
• अक्षयः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

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

• अव्ययः: unchanging; undecaying
• अव्ययः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• भुवि: on earth; in the world
• भुवि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव्/भू ‘earth’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā (quoted by Mārkaṇḍeya)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahārāja (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vaiśravaṇa is proclaimed as the fourth Lokapāla, holding a treasure-vessel and mace, seated in regal posture; the other Lokapālas are hinted as directional presences.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera)
• Lokapālas
• devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wealth is framed as a sacred trust requiring protection and right stewardship within divine order (dharma).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named in this verse; it focuses on Kubera’s cosmic appointment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a declaration of office and spiritual status.