Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

सद्गुणाः कर्मवीर्य्याणि कृतानि विष्णुना पुरा । लीलावताररूपैस्तु शृण्वन्ति परया मुदा

Transliteration

sadguṇāḥ karmavīryyāṇi kṛtāni viṣṇunā purā | līlāvatārarūpaistu śṛṇvanti parayā mudā

Translation

With supreme joy they listen to Viṣṇu’s noble qualities and heroic deeds performed long ago, manifested through His playful descents (avatāras).

Word by Word

• सद्गुणाः: excellent virtues
• सद्गुणाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् + गुण (प्रातिपदिक); सद्गुण (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कर्मवीर्य्याणि: heroic deeds (acts of prowess)
• कर्मवीर्य्याणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म + वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक); कर्मवीर्य (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कृतानि: done / performed
• कृतानि: Karma (as qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (कर्मवीर्य्याणि)

• विष्णुना: by Viṣṇu
• विष्णुना: Kartr (Agent in passive sense/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb: formerly)

• लीलावताररूपैः: through forms of sportive incarnations
• लीलावताररूपैः: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला + अवतार + रूप (प्रातिपदिक); लीलावताररूप (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; साधन/प्रकारवाचक (means/mode)

• तु: but / indeed
• तु: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrastive particle)

• शृण्वन्ति: hear
• शृण्वन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• परया: with supreme
• परया: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (मुदा)

• मुदा: joy
• मुदा: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (deduced from section context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Listeners gathered as a storyteller recounts Viṣṇu’s avatāras; scenes of heroic deeds appear like living tableaux—Nṛsiṃha, Rāma, Kṛṣṇa—while the audience rejoices.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Avatāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional listening to Viṣṇu’s virtues and avatāra-līlās is itself a joy-filled path that purifies and elevates the heart.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā is the implied sacred setting in this Māhātmya, where Hari-kathā naturally flourishes among devotees.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śravaṇa (listening to sacred narratives of Viṣṇu’s avatāras) is highlighted as a devotional practice.