Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

स्थापितो देवराजेन पूजार्थं केशवस्य हि । तस्यैवानुचरान्वक्ष्ये तान्निबोधत सत्तमाः

Transliteration

sthāpito devarājena pūjārthaṃ keśavasya hi | tasyaivānucarānvakṣye tānnibodhata sattamāḥ

Translation

Il fut établi par le Roi des dieux pour le culte de Keśava. À présent, je vais énoncer ses serviteurs : comprenez-les bien, ô vous les meilleurs.

Word by Word

• sthāpitaḥ: was established
• sthāpitaḥ: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthāpita (प्रातिपदिक; √sthā (धातु) से णिच् + क्त, कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle): ‘having been established’

• devarājena: by the king of gods (Indra)
• devarājena: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva-rāja (प्रातिपदिक; देव + राज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• pūjārtham: for worship
• pūjārtham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūjā-artha (प्रातिपदिक; पूजा + अर्थ)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत्: ‘for the purpose of worship’

• keśavasya: of Keśava
• keśavasya: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: keśava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• hi: indeed; for
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (Connector/सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• tasya: of him; of that (one)
• tasya: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• eva: only; indeed
• eva: Sambandha-bodhaka (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• anucarān: attendants; followers
• anucarān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anucara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• vakṣye: I shall tell
• vakṣye: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• tān: them
• tān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• nibodhata: understand; take note
• nibodhata: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-budh (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपद

• sattamāḥ: O best among the good
• sattamāḥ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat-tama (प्रातिपदिक; सत् + तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); सम्बोधनार्थे (addressing)

Speaker

Śrī Prahlāda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/‘sattamāḥ’ (excellent ones)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra (Devarāja) performs a formal installation for Keśava’s worship; sages/listeners are addressed as the narrator begins listing the divine attendants assigned to protect the city.

Characters & Entities

• Prahlāda
• Indra (Devarāja)
• Keśava
• Jayanta (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred worship is supported by cosmic stewardship—divine beings are appointed to safeguard and regulate holy practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, as a city organized around Keśava’s worship and protected by appointed guardians.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

After worshipping the principal guardian, one should recognize and honor (in sequence) his attendants as part of the worship framework.