Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 89

Devanagari script

शंखचक्रगदापाणिः पीतांबरधरोऽच्युतः । उवाच स प्रसन्नात्मा विष्णुशर्माणमव्ययः

Transliteration

śaṃkhacakragadāpāṇiḥ pītāṃbaradharo'cyutaḥ | uvāca sa prasannātmā viṣṇuśarmāṇamavyayaḥ

Translation

ശംഖചക്രഗദാധരനും പീതാംബരധാരിയും ആയ അച്യുതൻ—അവ്യയനായ വിഷ്ണു—പ്രസന്നചിത്തത്തോടെ വിഷ്ണുശർമയോട് അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു।

Word by Word

• śaṃkha-cakra-gadā-pāṇiḥ: having conch, discus and mace in hand
• śaṃkha-cakra-gadā-pāṇiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaṃkha (प्रातिपदिक) + cakra (प्रातिपदिक) + gadā (प्रातिपदिक) + pāṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिसमासः—“शंखचक्रगदाः पाणौ यस्य सः” (one whose hand holds conch, discus, mace)

• pīta-ambara-dharaḥ: wearing a yellow garment
• pīta-ambara-dharaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pīta (प्रातिपदिक) + ambara (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपदसमासः—“पीतम् अम्बरं धरति” (wearer of yellow garment)

• acyutaḥ: Acyuta (Viṣṇu)
• acyutaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: acyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेष्य-नाम (epithet)

• uvāca: said/spoke
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• prasanna-ātmā: with a serene/pleased mind
• prasanna-ātmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasanna (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—“प्रसन्नः आत्मा यस्य”/“प्रसन्नात्मा” (one with a pleased mind)

• viṣṇu-śarmāṇam: Viṣṇuśarman
• viṣṇu-śarmāṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇuśarman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नाम (proper noun)

• avyayaḥ: the imperishable one
• avyayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (epithet of Viṣṇu: imperishable)

Speaker

Agastya (narrator continuing the account)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu appears in full iconographic splendor—conch, discus, mace; yellow garments—then turns compassionately to address Viṣṇuśarmā.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu (Acyuta)
• Viṣṇuśarmā
• Śaṅkha
• Cakra
• Gadā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine grace becomes tangible: the Lord responds personally to sincere devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The scene belongs to Ayodhyāmāhātmya, reinforcing Ayodhyā as a setting for Viṣṇu’s direct favor.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No prescription; the verse is descriptive, emphasizing darśana and the Lord’s compassionate dialogue.