Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

तथैवाप्सरसः सर्वा ब्रह्मवि ष्णुमहेश्वराः । कैलासशिखरं रम्यं वैकुंठं विष्णुवल्लभम्

Transliteration

tathaivāpsarasaḥ sarvā brahmavi ṣṇumaheśvarāḥ | kailāsaśikharaṃ ramyaṃ vaikuṃṭhaṃ viṣṇuvallabham

Translation

അതുപോലെ എല്ലാ അപ്സരസ്സുകളും, ബ്രഹ്മാ, വിഷ്ണു, മഹേശ്വരൻ—രമ്യമായ കൈലാസശിഖരത്തിലേക്കും വിഷ്ണുവല്ലഭമായ വൈകുണ്ഠത്തിലേക്കും ഗമിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• तथा: thus; likewise
• तथा: Prakāra (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic/limiting particle)

• अप्सरसः: Apsarases
• अप्सरसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (qualifying अप्सरसः)

• ब्रह्म-विष्णु-महेश्वराः: Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara
• ब्रह्म-विष्णु-महेश्वराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara)

• कैलास-शिखरम्: the peak of Kailāsa
• कैलास-शिखरम्: Gati/Karma (Goal/Object/गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैलास (प्रातिपदिक) + शिखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘कैलासस्य शिखरम्’ (peak of Kailāsa)

• रम्यम्: beautiful
• रम्यम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; (qualifying शिखरम्)

• वैकुण्ठम्: Vaikuṇṭha
• वैकुण्ठम्: Gati/Karma (Goal/Object/गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैकुण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विष्णु-वल्लभम्: beloved of Viṣṇu
• विष्णु-वल्लभम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + वल्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘विष्णोः वल्लभम्’ (dear to Viṣṇu), qualifying वैकुण्ठम्

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kailāsa (as dhāma); Vaikuṇṭha (as dhāma)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial departure: Apsarases in graceful procession; Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara shown in iconic forms; the scene bifurcates—one path to snow-bright Kailāsa peak, another to jeweled Vaikuṇṭha with lotus motifs and divine radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Apsarases
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Kailāsa
• Vaikuṇṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

After dharma is re-established, divine beings return to their proper abodes—order and harmony resume.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kailāsa and Vaikuṇṭha are highlighted as exalted divine realms (not earthly tirthas in this verse).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it is a cosmological transition describing divine movement to sacred realms.