Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

शार्ङ्गिणे सितवर्णाय शङ्खचक्रगदाभृते । नमो वामनरूपाय यज्ञरूपाय ते नमः

Transliteration

śārṅgiṇe sitavarṇāya śaṅkhacakragadābhṛte | namo vāmanarūpāya yajñarūpāya te namaḥ

Translation

ശാർങ്ഗധാരിയ്ക്കും ശ്വേതവർണ്ണനുമായ, ശംഖ-ചക്ര-ഗദാധാരിയ്ക്കും നമസ്കാരം. വാമനരൂപനായ പ്രഭുവേ, നമോ; യജ്ഞരൂപനായ നിനക്കു പ്രണാമം.

Word by Word

• शार्ङ्गिणे: to the bearer of Śārṅga
• शार्ङ्गिणे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शार्ङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative singular (bearer of Śārṅga bow)

• सितवर्णाय: to the white-complexioned one
• सितवर्णाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सित + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative singular; कर्मधारय (सितः वर्णः यस्य)

• शङ्खचक्रगदाभृते: to the bearer of conch, discus, and mace
• शङ्खचक्रगदाभृते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख + चक्र + गदा + भृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative singular; समाहार/तत्पुरुष-समास (शङ्खं चक्रं गदां च बिभर्ति)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Bhava (Exclamation/भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• वामनरूपाय: to the one of Vāmana-form
• वामनरूपाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामन + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative singular; तत्पुरुष (वामनस्य रूपम्)

• यज्ञरूपाय: to the one whose form is sacrifice
• यज्ञरूपाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative singular; तत्पुरुष (यज्ञस्य रूपम्)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative singular (to you)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Bhava (Exclamation/भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Andhaka

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīra (general)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu stands four-armed, holding śaṅkha, cakra, gadā, and Śārṅga bow; beside him a small Vāmana with umbrella and kamaṇḍalu; behind, a stylized yajña-kuṇḍa with flames forming a halo, indicating 'yajña-rūpa'.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Śārṅga
• Śaṅkha
• Cakra
• Gadā
• Vāmana
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Viṣṇu is both the protector with divine weapons and the inner essence of yajña—true worship aligns action with sacred order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named in this verse; it is primarily theological praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yajña is invoked conceptually (the Lord as Yajña), but no specific rite is prescribed in this line.