Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

अपि चेत्सुप्रसन्नोऽसि क्रियायोगं ब्रवीहि मे । लोकानां तारणार्थाय शंखचक्रगदाधर

Transliteration

api cetsuprasanno'si kriyāyogaṃ bravīhi me | lokānāṃ tāraṇārthāya śaṃkhacakragadādhara

Translation

നിങ്ങൾ അത്യന്തം പ്രസന്നനാണെങ്കിൽ, എനിക്ക് ക്രിയായോഗം ഉപദേശിക്കണമേ, ഹേ ശംഖചക്രഗദാധരാ—ലോകങ്ങളുടെ താരണാർത്ഥമായി।

Word by Word

• अपि: indeed / if
• अपि: Prayojaka (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), सम्भावना/अनुनयार्थ — particle expressing ‘if/indeed’

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-अव्यय (conditional conjunction)

• सुप्रसन्नः: very pleased
• सुप्रसन्नः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु+प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — masculine nominative singular; विशेषण of implied ‘त्वम्’

• असि: are
• असि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — present, 2nd person singular

• क्रियायोगम्: the yoga of action (kriyā-yoga)
• क्रियायोगम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक) + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन — masculine accusative singular

• ब्रवीहि: tell / speak
• ब्रवीहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — imperative, 2nd person singular

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th case), एकवचन — pronoun dative singular

• लोकानाम्: of the worlds / of people
• लोकानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — masculine genitive plural

• तारणार्थाय: for the purpose of deliverance
• तारणार्थाय: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारण (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन — masculine dative singular; प्रयोजनार्थ (purpose)

• शंखचक्रगदाधर: O bearer of conch, discus, and mace
• शंखचक्रगदाधर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंख (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + गदा (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन — masculine vocative singular; बहुव्रीहिः ‘यस्य शंख-चक्र-गदा धृताः’

Speaker

Ambārīṣa

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viṣṇu (Śaṅkha-cakra-gadādhara)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ambārīṣa appeals for kriyā-yoga, addressing Viṣṇu as the four-armed bearer of conch, discus, and mace, for the salvation of the worlds.

Characters & Entities

• Ambārīṣa
• Viṣṇu (Śaṃkha-cakra-gadā-dhara)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When higher contemplative paths are difficult, one may seek a practicable discipline of action and worship for the welfare of all.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; the request occurs within the Arbuda-khaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse explicitly asks for kriyāyoga—structured religious practice (actions of worship and discipline).