Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

इष्टा धनपतेर्नित्यं वर्चानाम महाबल । मम सख्यश्चतस्रोऽन्याः सर्वाः कामगमाः शुभाः

Transliteration

iṣṭā dhanapaternityaṃ varcānāma mahābala | mama sakhyaścatasro'nyāḥ sarvāḥ kāmagamāḥ śubhāḥ

Translation

“O mighty one, I am ever dear to Dhanapati (Kubera); my name is Varcā. I have four other companions—each auspicious, and each able to go wherever she desires.”

Word by Word

• iṣṭā: dear/favored
• iṣṭā: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: iṣṭa (इष्ट-प्रातिपदिक; √iṣ/इष् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (भूतकृत्/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘प्रिय/इष्टा’

• dhanapateḥ: of the lord of wealth (Kubera)
• dhanapateḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanapati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-visheshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverbial accusative)

• varcā: splendor
• varcā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varcas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘तेजः/कान्तिः’

• nāma: named/called
• nāma: Sambandha (Apposition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय (quotative/‘named’)

• mahābala: O mighty one
• mahābala: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘महान् बलः यस्य’ (address)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• sakhyaḥ: friends (female)
• sakhyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sakhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘सख्यः’ = female friends

• catasraḥ: four
• catasraḥ: Visheshana (Numeral/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catasṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• anyāḥ: other
• anyāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘सख्यः’ इति विशेषणम्

• sarvāḥ: all
• sarvāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘सख्यः’ इति विशेषणम्

• kāmagamāḥ: able to go at will
• kāmagamāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + gama (गम् धातु से ‘गम’/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘कामेन गम्यन्ते/कामं गच्छन्ति’ = at will-moving

• śubhāḥ: auspicious/beautiful
• śubhāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘सख्यः’ इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Varcā (Apsaras)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Devarāṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The apsaras identifies herself as Varcā, beloved of Dhanapati, and mentions four companions with wish-fulfilling mobility; the tone is self-identifying, slightly proud yet narrative-neutral.

Characters & Entities

• Dhanapati (Kubera)
• Varcā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even exalted celestial status and supernatural freedom remain subordinate to dharma; power and mobility do not equal moral authority.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse identifies celestial lineage and companions.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is self-identification within the narrative.