Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

रक्षापालांस्ततो मुक्त्वा शतं साष्टविनायकान् । क्षेत्रपालाः शतं साष्टं तद्रक्षन्ति प्रयत्नतः

Transliteration

rakṣāpālāṃstato muktvā śataṃ sāṣṭavināyakān | kṣetrapālāḥ śataṃ sāṣṭaṃ tadrakṣanti prayatnataḥ

Translation

Puis, après avoir établi des gardiens-protecteurs—cent huit Vināyakas—cent huit Kṣetrapālas protègent avec soin ce lieu sacré, avec une vigilance soutenue.

Word by Word

• रक्षापालान्: the guardian-protectors
• रक्षापालान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रक्षायाः पालाः)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादान/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (from there/thereafter)

• मुक्त्वा: having released/assigned (after setting free)
• मुक्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुच् (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘विमोच्य’ इत्यर्थः

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• साष्टविनायकान्: Vināyakas numbering ‘eight plus’ (i.e., 108)
• साष्टविनायकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स + अष्ट + विनायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (सह अष्ट = अष्टसहिताः; ‘साष्ट’ = eight plus)

• क्षेत्रपालाः: the guardians of the sacred area
• क्षेत्रपालाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (क्षेत्रस्य पालाः)

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• साष्टम्: with eight more (i.e., 108)
• साष्टम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-समासः (अष्टसहितम् = ‘eight plus’)

• तत्: that (place/it)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; ‘रक्षन्ति’ इति कर्म

• रक्षन्ति: protect
• रक्षन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• प्रयत्नतः: diligently
• प्रयत्नतः: Kriya-visheshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्नतः (अव्यय; ‘प्रयत्न’ + तस्)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: with effort/diligently)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced for Āvantya Khaṇḍa narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Protected kṣetra of Cakatīrtha/Śūlabheda

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpottama

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A protective ring around the tīrtha: multiple Vināyakas stationed at cardinal/intercardinal points, and fierce Kṣetrapālas (Bhairava-like) standing vigilant with weapons; the central river-ford and liṅga glow within a guarded mandala.

Characters & Entities

• Vināyaka
• Kṣetrapāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred sites are portrayed as protected by divine guardians, indicating their sanctity and the need for reverent conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same Revā Khaṇḍa tīrtha being described, now emphasized as divinely guarded by Vināyakas and Kṣetrapālas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse highlights the protective establishment of guardian deities around the tīrtha.