Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 144

Devanagari script

विवर्धते कुले लक्ष्मीस्तस्य यः प्रपठेदिमम् । न राक्षसाः पिशाचा वा न भूतानि न चापदः

Transliteration

vivardhate kule lakṣmīstasya yaḥ prapaṭhedimam | na rākṣasāḥ piśācā vā na bhūtāni na cāpadaḥ

Translation

ഈ സ്തവം ജപിക്കുന്നവന്റെ കുലത്തിൽ ലക്ഷ്മി വർധിക്കുന്നു; അവനെ രാക്ഷസന്മാരോ പിശാചുകളോ ഭൂതങ്ങളോ ആപത്തുകളോ പീഡിപ്പിക്കുകയില്ല।

Word by Word

• vivardhate: increases, prospers
• vivardhate: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√vṛdh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• kule: in the family
• kule: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• lakṣmīḥ: fortune, prosperity
• lakṣmīḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc/Neut), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• prapaṭhet: should recite
• prapaṭhet: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√paṭh (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• imam: this (hymn/text)
• imam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc/Neut), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• rākṣasāḥ: demons (rākṣasas)
• rākṣasāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• piśācāḥ: piśācas (ghouls)
• piśācāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piśāca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• bhūtāni: spirits, beings (bhūtas)
• bhūtāni: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• āpadaḥ: calamities, misfortunes
• āpadaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āpada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kaumārikākhaṇḍa context; narrative voice likely Sūta reporting)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A sage/devotee interlocutor (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee recites a hymn in a lamp-lit household shrine; Lakṣmī’s auspicious presence is suggested by overflowing grain and lotus motifs, while shadowy rākṣasa/piśāca forms retreat beyond a protective aura.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Rākṣasa
• Piśāca
• Bhūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sincere recitation of divine names is portrayed as both auspicious (śrī-vṛddhi) and protective (rakṣā) in worldly life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse praises the protective power of the hymn itself.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular recitation (pāṭha) of the hymn for prosperity and protection.