Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 189

Devanagari script

विष्णुरुवाच । नाहं पालयितुं शक्तस्त्वं ददासि वरान्बहून् । दैत्यानां दानवादीनां राक्षसानां महेश्वर

Transliteration

viṣṇuruvāca | nāhaṃ pālayituṃ śaktastvaṃ dadāsi varānbahūn | daityānāṃ dānavādīnāṃ rākṣasānāṃ maheśvara

Translation

Viṣṇu dit : 'Je ne suis pas capable de maintenir l'ordre, car tu accordes de nombreuses faveurs aux Daityas, aux Dānavas et aux Rākṣasas, ô Maheśvara.'

Word by Word

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्ष/परिपूर्ण भूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Perfect 3rd sg (‘said’)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय — negation particle

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular (pronoun)

• पालयितुम्: to protect
• पालयितुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पालय् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive) — ‘to protect/maintain’

• शक्तः: able
• शक्तः: Visheshana (Predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; √शक् past passive participle used adjectivally)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — predicate adjective with अहम्

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular (pronoun)

• ददासि: you give
• ददासि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Present 2nd sg

• वरान्: boons
• वरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Accusative plural

• बहून्: many
• बहून्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — agrees with वरान्

• दैत्यानाम्: of the Daityas
• दैत्यानाम्: Sambandha (Recipient/Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — Genitive plural

• दानवादीनाम्: of the Dānavas and others
• दानवादीनाम्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानवादि (प्रातिपदिक; दानव + आदि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — Genitive plural (‘of Dānavas and others’)

• राक्षसानाम्: of the Rākṣasas
• राक्षसानाम्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — Genitive plural

• महेश्वर: O Maheśvara
• महेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; महा + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन — Vocative singular

Speaker

Viṣṇu

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Maheśvara (Śiva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu stands respectfully yet firmly before Maheśvara, palms joined, expressing concern; behind him Brahmā and devas watch anxiously; in the background, shadowy silhouettes of Daityas/Dānavas/Rākṣasas symbolize the looming threat.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Daityas
• Dānavas
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even divine compassion (granting boons) must be balanced with the protection of dharma; unchecked power given to adharmic beings leads to turmoil.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The discourse occurs in the Vastrāpathakṣetra Māhātmya of Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a theological complaint about the consequences of granting boons.