Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

दैत्यराज त्वमस्माकं सुहृन्मार्गप्रदर्शकः । कथयस्व महाभाग यत्र तिष्ठति केशवः

Transliteration

daityarāja tvamasmākaṃ suhṛnmārgapradarśakaḥ | kathayasva mahābhāga yatra tiṣṭhati keśavaḥ

Translation

ഹേ ദൈത്യരാജാ! നിങ്ങൾ ഞങ്ങളുടെ സുഹൃത്തും മാർഗ്ഗപ്രദർശകനുമാണ്. ഹേ മഹാഭാഗാ! കേശവൻ എവിടെ വസിക്കുന്നു എന്ന് പറയുക।

Word by Word

• दैत्यराज: O king of the Daityas
• दैत्यराज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य-राज (प्रातिपदिक; दैत्य + राजन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दैत्यस्य राजा)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुषार्थे? (मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम), प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अस्माकम्: of us
• अस्माकम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• सुहृत्-मार्ग-प्रदर्शकः: a guide who shows the path (as a friend)
• सुहृत्-मार्ग-प्रदर्शकः: Pradhāna-predicative (Predicate nominal/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृत् + मार्ग + प्रदर्शक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः—(सुहृदां मार्गस्य) प्रदर्शकः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• कथयस्व: tell (please)
• कथयस्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थक), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक; महा + भाग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् भागः यस्य)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• तिष्ठति: stands / resides
• तिष्ठति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• केशवः: Keśava (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)
• केशवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

Speaker

Ṛṣis (Sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brāhmaṇas respectfully address a regal Daitya-king seated modestly, asking him to reveal where Keśava resides; the atmosphere is surprisingly harmonious.

Characters & Entities

• Daityarāja (Prahlāda)
• Keśava (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The wise seek direction from realized devotees; guidance (mārga) is itself a form of grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā is the implied destination, as the sages ask where Keśava abides.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is on inquiry into the Lord’s dwelling-place (sthāna).