Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

श्रीवत्सधारिञ्छ्रीकांत श्रीधामञ्छ्रीपतेऽव्यय । गार्हस्थ्यं मा प्रणाशं मे यातु धर्मार्थकामदम्

Transliteration

śrīvatsadhāriñchrīkāṃta śrīdhāmañchrīpate'vyaya | gārhasthyaṃ mā praṇāśaṃ me yātu dharmārthakāmadam

Translation

हे श्रीवत्सधारी, हे श्रीकांत, हे श्रीधाम, हे अव्यय श्रीपते! माझे गृहस्थाश्रम नष्ट होऊ नये; तो धर्म-अर्थ-काम देणारा राहो।

Word by Word

• श्रीवत्सधारिन्: O bearer of the Śrīvatsa mark
• श्रीवत्सधारिन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीवत्स + धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण संबोधन

• श्रीकान्त: O beloved of Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• श्रीकान्त: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + कान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• श्रीधामन्: O abode of Śrī
• श्रीधामन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (धामन्-शब्द), सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• श्रीपते: O lord of Śrī
• श्रीपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन (पति-शब्द)

• अव्यय: O imperishable one
• अव्यय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; विशेषण (अविनाशी)

• गार्हस्थ्यम्: householder life
• गार्हस्थ्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गार्हस्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratiṣedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय; आज्ञार्थे/विधिलिङ्-आशयेन निषेध (prohibitive ‘do not’)

• प्रणाशम्: destruction
• प्रणाशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• यातु: may it go/come to
• यातु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• धर्मार्थकामदम्: granting dharma, artha, and kāma
• धर्मार्थकामदम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + अर्थ + काम + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; गार्हस्थ्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sūta (introducing the mantra; the line itself is the devotee’s prayer)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viprāḥ / brāhmaṇa audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee stands before Jalāśayī Viṣṇu, offering lotus and tulasī, reciting a mantra praising Śrīvatsa and Śrīpati, with imagery of a harmonious household behind—sacred fire, family, and orderly home.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• Śrīvatsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Householder life is sanctified when dedicated to Viṣṇu and aligned with dharma, artha, and kāma under divine protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a site-specific verse; it is a mantra within a tīrtha/vrata framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Recite this prayer-mantra while worshipping Jalāśayī Viṣṇu, seeking stability and auspiciousness in gṛhastha life.