Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

मित्रस्य राहुवित्रासनिवर्त्तनमिवापरम् । सकौस्तुभप्रभाचक्रं बिभ्राणं प्रवलारुणम्

Transliteration

mitrasya rāhuvitrāsanivarttanamivāparam | sakaustubhaprabhācakraṃ bibhrāṇaṃ pravalāruṇam

Translation

Tel le pouvoir du soleil qui dissipe l’effroi de Rāhu, Il portait le cercle rayonnant de la splendeur du Kaustubha, d’une teinte rouge corail.

Word by Word

• mitrasya: of the sun (Mitra)
• mitrasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (मित्र), षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• rāhu: Rāhu
• rāhu: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — समासपूर्वपद

• vitrāsa: terror; fright
• vitrāsa: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vitrāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — समासमध्यपद

• nivarttanam: the dispelling of Rāhu’s terror
• nivarttanam: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nivarttana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समस्तपद (rāhu-vitrāsa-nivarttana)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (Comparator/उपमाद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक

• aparam: another; further
• aparam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (चक्रं/प्रभाचक्रं इति विशेषणम्)

• sa: with
• sa: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक/समवायसूचक (meaning 'with') — समासपूर्वपद

• kaustubha: Kaustubha jewel
• kaustubha: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaustubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — समासमध्यपद

• prabhā: radiance
• prabhā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — समासमध्यपद

• cakram: a disc (circle) of radiance with Kaustubha
• cakram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समस्तपद (sa-kaustubha-prabhā-cakra)

• bibhrāṇam: bearing; wearing
• bibhrāṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bibhrāṇa (कृदन्त; √bhṛ/भृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• pravalāruṇam: coral-red
• pravalāruṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pravala + aruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समस्तपद (pravala-aruṇa)

Speaker

Narrator (description of the Lord’s radiance and Kaustubha)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu’s chest radiates with Kaustubha-like brilliance, a coral-red aura-ring; the simile of the sun dispelling Rāhu suggests a partial eclipse breaking into full light behind Him.

Characters & Entities

• Mitra (Sun)
• Rāhu
• Kaustubha
• Viṣṇu (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine radiance removes fear and delusion, just as light overcomes eclipse-darkness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā, where the narrative frames the Lord’s protective, fear-dispelling presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse conveys protection through remembrance of the Lord’s tejas (splendor).