Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

यद्यस्ति तव राजेंद्र ज्ञानं ज्ञानवतां वर । विष्णुं जिष्णुं हृषीकेशं शंखिनं गदिनं तथा

Transliteration

yadyasti tava rājeṃdra jñānaṃ jñānavatāṃ vara | viṣṇuṃ jiṣṇuṃ hṛṣīkeśaṃ śaṃkhinaṃ gadinaṃ tathā

Translation

ഹേ രാജേന്ദ്രാ, നിനക്കു യഥാർത്ഥത്തിൽ ജ്ഞാനം ഉണ്ടെങ്കിൽ—ഹേ ജ്ഞാനികളിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠാ—വിഷ്ണുവിനെ അറിയുക: ജിഷ്ണു, ഹൃഷീകേശൻ, ശംഖധാരി, ഗദാധാരി।

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तबोधक अव्यय (conditional particle)

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘राज्ञाम् इन्द्रः’

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• ज्ञानवताम्: of the knowledgeable
• ज्ञानवताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञानवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वर: O best (one)
• वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• विष्णुम्: Vishnu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• जिष्णुम्: the victorious one
• जिष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण-रूपेण

• हृषीकेशम्: Hrishikesha (Lord of the senses)
• हृषीकेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृषीक + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘हृषीकाणाम् ईशः’

• शङ्खिनम्: the conch-bearer
• शङ्खिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्खिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• गदिनम्: the mace-bearer
• गदिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Bhadra (addressing the king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra (context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājendra (king) (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher addresses a king: a radiant four-armed Viṣṇu appears, holding śaṅkha and gadā (and implied cakra/padma), titled Hṛṣīkeśa/Jişṇu; the king’s posture shows reverent attention.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Jiṣṇu
• Hṛṣīkeśa
• śaṅkha (conch)
• gadā (mace)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wisdom culminates in right recognition of the Supreme Lord—here praised through Viṣṇu’s divine names and symbols.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is delivered within Vastrāpatha-kṣetra Māhātmya, connecting sacred place with devotion to Viṣṇu in Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; it implies devotional contemplation (smaraṇa) of Viṣṇu through his names and attributes.