Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 167

Devanagari script

नवशक्तियुतं विष्णुं पार्पदैः परिवारितम् । कुमुदोथ कुमुद्वांश्च सनकश्च सनंदनः

Transliteration

navaśaktiyutaṃ viṣṇuṃ pārpadaiḥ parivāritam | kumudotha kumudvāṃśca sanakaśca sanaṃdanaḥ

Translation

അവൻ നവശക്തിയുക്തനായ വിഷ്ണുവിനെ കണ്ടു; അവൻ പാർഷദന്മാർ ചുറ്റിനിന്നു—കുമുദൻ, കുമുദ്വാൻ, കൂടാതെ മുനികളായ സനകൻ, സനന്ദനൻ।

Word by Word

• नव: nine
• नव: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषण (समासपूर्वपद) — numeral adjective used as compound member ‘nine’

• शक्ति: power
• शक्ति: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (समासपूर्वपद) — feminine stem as compound member; ‘power/energy’

• युतम्: endowed with
• युतम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युत (√युज् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन — neuter accusative singular; ‘endowed/connected with’

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन — masculine accusative singular

• पार्षदैः: by attendants
• पार्षदैः: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्षद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन — masculine instrumental plural; ‘by attendants’

• परिवारितम्: surrounded
• परिवारितम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिवारित (परि+√वृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन — neuter accusative singular; past passive participle ‘surrounded’

• कुमुदः: Kumuda
• कुमुदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमुद (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन — masculine nominative singular

• उथ: and also/then
• उथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/अनन्तर्यबोधक) — particle ‘and then/also’

• कुमुद्वान्: Kumudvān
• कुमुद्वान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमुद्वत् (प्रातिपदिक; -वत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन — masculine nominative singular; ‘Kumudvān’ (proper name)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) — conjunction

• सनकः: Sanaka
• सनकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनक (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन — masculine nominative singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) — conjunction

• सनन्दनः: Sanandana
• सनन्दनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनन्दन (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन — masculine nominative singular

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience within Kedāra narrative

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu radiant, surrounded by attendants; Kumuda and Kumudvān as dignified gate-guardian-like figures; Sanaka and Sanandana as youthful ascetics with matted hair or simple topknots, holding scriptures or rosaries.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Kumuda
• Kumudvān
• Sanaka
• Sanandana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme is approached through both power (śakti) and purity (sage-attendants), uniting majesty with wisdom.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The scene continues at Kṣīrābdhi, the divine shore where Viṣṇu is beheld.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a descriptive catalogue of Viṣṇu’s divine entourage.