Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

कौस्तुभेन विराजंतं सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभम् । दंडहस्तं शिखासूत्रसहितं पीतवाससम्

Transliteration

kaustubhena virājaṃtaṃ sūryakoṭisamaprabham | daṃḍahastaṃ śikhāsūtrasahitaṃ pītavāsasam

Translation

Qu’il Le contemple, resplendissant du joyau Kaustubha, éclatant comme dix millions de soleils—tenant le bâton en Sa main, paré de la śikhā et du cordon sacré, et revêtu d’habits jaunes.

Word by Word

• कौस्तुभेन: with the Kaustubha (gem)
• कौस्तुभेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौस्तुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• विराजन्तम्: shining; resplendent
• विराजन्तम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + राज् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; 'shining' (qualifying Viṣṇu)

• सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभम्: having brilliance equal to ten million suns
• सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूर्य + कोटि + सम + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः: सूर्यकोट्या समा प्रभा यस्य (having radiance equal to ten million suns)

• दण्डहस्तम्: holding a staff
• दण्डहस्तम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दण्ड + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः: दण्डः हस्ते यस्य (with a staff in hand)

• शिखासूत्रसहितम्: accompanied by the śikhā-cord
• शिखासूत्रसहितम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिखा + सूत्र + सहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः: शिखा-सूत्रेण सहितम् (accompanied with topknot-cord)

• पीतवाससम्: wearing yellow garments
• पीतवाससम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीत + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: पीतं वासः यस्य (wearing yellow garments)

Speaker

Narratorial voice within Tīrthamāhātmya (deductive attribution)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A majestic Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa form: blazing radiance like millions of suns, Kaustubha on the chest, yellow garments flowing, sacred thread and śikhā emphasized, holding a staff; the devotee gazes in concentrated meditation before the altar.

Characters & Entities

• Kaustubha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A focused visualization of the Lord’s form (dhyāna) is itself a devotional act that steadies mind and worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is primarily dhyāna/iconographic instruction within a tīrtha narrative rather than a direct praise of a named location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditate on Viṣṇu’s form with specific attributes: Kaustubha, immense radiance, staff in hand, sacred thread and tuft, yellow garments.