Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

क्षीरोदशायिनं विष्णुं शेषपर्य्यंकशायिनम् । लक्ष्म्योपविष्टं पार्श्वे च चरणांबुजहस्तया

Transliteration

kṣīrodaśāyinaṃ viṣṇuṃ śeṣaparyyaṃkaśāyinam | lakṣmyopaviṣṭaṃ pārśve ca caraṇāṃbujahastayā

Translation

Ils contemplèrent Viṣṇu, étendu sur l’Océan de Lait, reposant sur la couche de Śeṣa; et Lakṣmī, assise à ses côtés, la main posée sur ses pieds de lotus.

Word by Word

• क्षीरोदशायिनम्: lying on the Ocean of Milk
• क्षीरोदशायिनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षीर-उद + शायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध: 'क्षीरोदे शयते' इति); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• शेषपर्य्यंकशायिनम्: lying on the couch of Śeṣa
• शेषपर्य्यंकशायिनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शेष + पर्य्यङ्क + शायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अधिकरण/सम्बन्ध: 'शेषस्य पर्य्यङ्के शयते'); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• लक्ष्म्या: by Lakṣmī
• लक्ष्म्या: Karana (Instrument/Agentive means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• उपविष्टम्: seated (attended)
• उपविष्टम्: Kriya (Result state/क्रियाफल)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-विश् (धातु) → उपविष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• पार्श्वे: at the side
• पार्श्वे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक-लिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• चरणाम्बुज: of (his) lotus-feet
• चरणाम्बुज: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण + अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ('अम्बुज-सदृशं चरणम्'); नपुंसक-लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपदत्वात्)

• हस्तया: with (her) hand
• हस्तया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced; Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kṣīroda (Kṣīrābdhi)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous vision of Viṣṇu reclining on Śeṣa upon the Milk-Ocean; Lakṣmī sits beside him, her hand resting on his lotus-feet in gentle service.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Śeṣa
• Lakṣmī
• Kṣīroda (Ocean of Milk)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa anchors devotion in a vivid divine form: Viṣṇu as cosmic refuge, attended by Lakṣmī, embodying protection and grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse depicts Viṣṇu’s cosmic abode on the Ocean of Milk; it serves as narrative theology supporting the local shrine-mahātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the verse provides a dhyāna-like description suitable for contemplation and worship.