Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

गुणानां हि निधानाय नमस्तेऽस्तु पुनःपुनः । कारुण्याम्बुनिधे देव सर्वभक्तिप्रियाय च

Transliteration

guṇānāṃ hi nidhānāya namaste'stu punaḥpunaḥ | kāruṇyāmbunidhe deva sarvabhaktipriyāya ca

Translation

Salutations to you again and again, O treasury of virtues. O God, ocean of compassion and beloved of every devotee—salutations to you.

Word by Word

• गुणानाम्: of virtues/qualities
• गुणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); हेत्वर्थे/निश्चयार्थे ‘indeed/for’

• निधानाय: to the repository/treasure-house
• निधानाय: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदानार्थे

• नमः: salutations
• नमः: Avyaya (Salutation particle/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगवत् निपातः; ‘नमः’ इति नमस्कारार्थक-अव्ययम्

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन (enclitic); ‘to you’ अर्थे दत्तिवत् प्रयोगः (नमस्ते)

• अस्तु: may it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive use), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Avyaya (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Avyaya (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb); पुनरुक्तिः—‘again and again’

• कारुण्याम्बुनिधे: O ocean of compassion
• कारुण्याम्बुनिधे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारुण्य-अम्बु-निधि (प्रातिपदिक; कारुण्य + अम्बु + निधि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कारुण्यस्य अम्बुनिधिः)

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• सर्वभक्तिप्रियाय: to the one dear to all devotion
• सर्वभक्तिप्रियाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-भक्ति-प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + भक्ति + प्रिय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां भक्तीनां प्रियः)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Andhaka (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) region (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close devotional focus: the deity’s compassionate gaze, with an ocean-like aura behind (karuṇā-ambunidhi), while the devotee repeatedly bows; surrounding devotees appear comforted and uplifted.

Characters & Entities

• Deva (Viṣṇu/Varāha addressed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic God is approached as compassion itself; devotion rests on trusting divine mercy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tirtha is specified; it is a universal stotra within the Revā Khaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Repeated salutations (punaḥpunaḥ namas) are presented as a devotional practice.