Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

कर्त्तव्या विधिवत्पूजा ब्राह्मणानां विशेषतः । ध्येयो लक्ष्मीपतिस्तत्र शंखचक्रगदाधरः

Transliteration

karttavyā vidhivatpūjā brāhmaṇānāṃ viśeṣataḥ | dhyeyo lakṣmīpatistatra śaṃkhacakragadādharaḥ

Translation

Worship should be performed according to proper rule—especially honoring the brāhmaṇas. There, one should meditate upon the Lord of Lakṣmī, the bearer of conch, discus, and mace.

Word by Word

• कर्त्तव्या: must be performed
• कर्त्तव्या: Vidhi (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (must be done)

• विधिवत्: according to proper procedure
• विधिवत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (अव्ययप्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (indeclinable: according to rule)

• पूजा: worship
• पूजा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (feminine nominative singular)

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of/for the brāhmaṇas
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन (masculine genitive plural)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (अव्ययप्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विशेषणार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb: especially)

• ध्येयः: to be meditated upon
• ध्येयः: Vidhi (Injunction/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्यै (धातु) + यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: to be meditated upon); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लक्ष्मीपतिः: Lord of Lakṣmī (Viṣṇu)
• लक्ष्मीपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘लक्ष्म्याः पतिः’ (masculine nominative singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• शंखचक्रगदाधरः: bearer of conch, discus, and mace
• शंखचक्रगदाधरः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंख (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + गदा (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘शंखं चक्रं गदां च धरति’ (one who bears conch, discus, and mace)

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced: Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa dialogic style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A shrine pavilion in Ayodhyā: devotees perform vidhivat pūjā with lamps and flowers; brāhmaṇas are honored with seats and offerings; in meditation, Lakṣmīpati appears as four-armed śaṅkha-cakra-gadādhara.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmīpati (Viṣṇu)
• śaṅkha
• cakra
• gadā
• brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right worship is both inward and outward: meditation on Viṣṇu’s form is joined with respectful service to brāhmaṇas and rule-guided pūjā.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Rukmiṇī-kuṇḍa tīrtha setting in Ayodhyā, where such worship and meditation are enjoined.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform vidhi-vat pūjā, especially brāhmaṇa-pūjā, and meditate on Lakṣmīpati as śaṅkha-cakra-gadādhara.