Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

विष्णो त्वं कर्मणः साक्षाद्यज्ञानां परिपालकः । धर्मस्य वेदगर्भस्य ब्रह्मण्यस्त्वं च माधव

Transliteration

viṣṇo tvaṃ karmaṇaḥ sākṣādyajñānāṃ paripālakaḥ | dharmasya vedagarbhasya brahmaṇyastvaṃ ca mādhava

Translation

ഹേ വിഷ്ണോ! നീ കർമ്മത്തിന്റെ സാക്ഷാത് അധിഷ്ഠാതാവും യജ്ഞങ്ങളുടെ പരിപാലകനുമാണ്. വേദഗർഭമായ ധർമ്മത്തിന്റെ നീ ധാരകൻ; ഹേ മാധവ, നീ ബ്രഹ്മണ്യൻ—ബ്രഹ്മനിഷ്ഠൻ.

Word by Word

• विष्णो: O Viṣṇu
• विष्णो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कर्मणः: of the rite/action
• कर्मणः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• साक्षात्: directly/in person
• साक्षात्: Avyaya (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण/निपात (directly, manifestly)

• यज्ञानाम्: of sacrifices
• यज्ञानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• परिपालकः: protector/guardian
• परिपालकः: Pradhana-visheshya (Predicate complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि-√पाल् (धातु) + अक (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृत्-प्रत्ययान्त नाम (agent noun)

• धर्मस्य: of dharma
• धर्मस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वेद-गर्भस्य: whose essence is the Veda; Veda-embodied
• वेद-गर्भस्य: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वेदः गर्भः यस्य)

• ब्रह्मण्यः: devoted to Brahman/the Veda
• ब्रह्मण्यः: Pradhana-visheshya (Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘ब्रह्मणि हितः/ब्रह्मप्रियः’ (devoted to Brahman/Veda)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोग for emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• माधव: O Mādhava
• माधव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Dakṣa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dakṣa offers a formal stuti to Viṣṇu: Viṣṇu depicted serene and radiant, holding conch/discus (or in yajñeśvara aspect), while the yajña pavilion glows—suggesting that ritual action is safeguarded by the sustaining deity.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Mādhava
• Dharma
• Veda
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual and dharma are safeguarded by divine guardianship; Vedic dharma is upheld through Viṣṇu’s protective power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting belongs to Kedārakhaṇḍa, but the verse itself is theological praise rather than a tīrtha description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Protection and preservation of yajñas (sacrifices) is highlighted as a divine function.