Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

सर्वदारिद्र्यशमनं सौमंगल्यविवर्धनम् । यो धत्ते कवचं शैवं स देवैरपि पूज्यते

Transliteration

sarvadāridryaśamanaṃ saumaṃgalyavivardhanam | yo dhatte kavacaṃ śaivaṃ sa devairapi pūjyate

Translation

Celui qui porte l'amulette protectrice de Shiva (kavaca)—qui apaise toute forme de pauvreté et accroît la fortune propice—devient digne d'honneur même par les dieux eux-mêmes.

Word by Word

• सर्वदारिद्र्यशमनम्: removal of all poverty
• सर्वदारिद्र्यशमनम्: Karma/Phala (Result/फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दारिद्र्य (प्रातिपदिक) + शमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (सर्वस्य दारिद्र्यस्य शमनम्)

• सौमंगल्यविवर्धनम्: increase of good fortune/auspiciousness
• सौमंगल्यविवर्धनम्: Karma/Phala (Result/फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + माङ्गल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + विवर्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (सौमाङ्गल्यस्य विवर्धनम्)

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-सर्वनाम

• धत्ते: wears, bears
• धत्ते: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कवचम्: armor/amulet
• कवचम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शैवम्: Śaiva, of Śiva
• शैवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; संकेत-सर्वनाम (correlative)

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (even)

• पूज्यते: is worshipped/honored
• पूज्यते: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद-रूपम्

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced from Brāhma Khaṇḍa → Brahmottarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder devotee with kavaca tied on arm/neck, standing before a Śiva-liṅga; Lakṣmī-like symbols of prosperity (full granary, lamps, auspicious marks) appear; devas in the sky offer flowers, indicating ‘devair api pūjya’.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-bhakti expressed through wearing the Śaiva kavaca is praised as a dhārmic act that brings protection, prosperity, and divine esteem.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tirtha is named in this verse; it functions as a general māhātmya of the Śaiva kavaca rather than a location-specific praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The prescription is to wear (dhatte) a Śaiva kavaca—i.e., a consecrated protective token/armor associated with Śiva—as a devotional and protective observance.