Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 157

Devanagari script

सपुण्यपुष्पवर्षं च वायुयुक्तं महाजवम् । गन्धर्वैरप्सरोभिश्च तस्मिन्सूर्यौपस्थितः

Transliteration

sapuṇyapuṣpavarṣaṃ ca vāyuyuktaṃ mahājavam | gandharvairapsarobhiśca tasminsūryaupasthitaḥ

Translation

Là s’éleva une pluie de fleurs sacrées, poussée par des vents rapides; et les Gandharvas ainsi que les Apsaras apparurent aussi pour honorer l’événement.

Word by Word

• स: with
• स: Sambandha (Prefix-like particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक-पूर्वपद (with)

• पुण्यपुष्पवर्षम्: a shower of holy flowers
• पुण्यपुष्पवर्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य + पुष्प + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पुण्यानि पुष्पाणि तेषां वर्षः = shower of holy flowers)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• वायुयुक्तम्: accompanied by wind
• वायुयुक्तम्: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वायु + युक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वायुना युक्तम् = accompanied by wind)

• महाजवम्: very swift
• महाजवम्: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + जव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् जवः यस्य = very swift)

• गन्धर्वैः: by Gandharvas
• गन्धर्वैः: Sahakarana (Accompaniment/सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अप्सरोभिः: by Apsarases
• अप्सरोभिः: Sahakarana (Accompaniment/सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• तस्मिन्: there/in that place
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सूर्य: the Sun
• सूर्य: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उपस्थितः: was present / arrived
• उपस्थितः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + स्था (धातु) → उपस्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (present/arrived)

Speaker

Deductive: Brahmā to Nārada (Vaiṣṇava Khaṇḍa framing); narrative description

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience (not explicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sky filled with drifting garlands and blossoms raining down in spirals, driven by strong wind; Gandharvas with vīṇās and Apsarases dancing above the ghāṭs, while devotees look upward in awe.

Characters & Entities

• Gandharvas
• Apsarases
• Puṣpa-varṣa (flower-rain)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma culminates in divine fulfillment, the cosmos celebrates—heavenly beings honor the sacred moment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā’s sacred setting near the Sarayū, where celestial honors (like flower-rain) are described.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; flower-offering is suggested by the imagery of puṣpa-varṣa as celestial pūjā.