Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

विंध्यावलिः समागत्य बलेरर्द्धांगशोभिता । अवनिज्य बटोः पादौ प्रददौ विष्णवे महीम्

Transliteration

viṃdhyāvaliḥ samāgatya balerarddhāṃgaśobhitā | avanijya baṭoḥ pādau pradadau viṣṇave mahīm

Translation

Vindhyāvalī, parée comme la noble moitié de Bali, s’avança ; elle lava les pieds du jeune ascète (Vāmana) et remit la terre à Viṣṇu.

Word by Word

• विंध्यावलिः: Vindhyāvalī
• विंध्यावलिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विंध्यावली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• समागत्य: having come/arrived
• समागत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, absolutive/gerund)

• बलेः: of Bali
• बलेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• अर्द्धाङ्गशोभिता: adorned as (his) half-body (i.e., as his consort)
• अर्द्धाङ्गशोभिता: Karta (Qualifier of subject/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्द्धाङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + शोभित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (अर्द्धाङ्गेन शोभिता); कृदन्त (क्त, PPP) स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विंध्यावलिः इति विशेषण

• अवनिज्य: having washed
• अवनिज्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + निञ्ज्/निज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, absolutive/gerund)

• बटोः: of the boy (brahmacārin)
• बटोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बटु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• पादौ: (his) two feet
• पादौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), द्विवचन

• प्रददौ: gave
• प्रददौ: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विष्णवे: to Viṣṇu
• विष्णवे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन

• महीम्: the earth/land
• महीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa per Māheśvara-khaṇḍa convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vindhyāvalī steps forward beside Bali, kneels to wash Vāmana’s feet with a golden vessel, then formally offers the earth; attendants hold conch, flowers, and a donation tray.

Characters & Entities

• Vindhyāvalī
• Bali
• Vāmana
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Hospitality and reverence (washing the guest’s feet) are portrayed as sacred acts that sanctify and empower dāna.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named; the verse emphasizes ritual propriety within the mythic event.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pāda-prakṣālana (washing the feet of the revered guest/ascetic) as part of the dāna procedure.