Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

वासुदेव नमस्तुभ्यं नमः कैटभनाशिने । लक्ष्म्यालय सुरश्रेष्ठ नमस्ते सुरनायक

Transliteration

vāsudeva namastubhyaṃ namaḥ kaiṭabhanāśine | lakṣmyālaya suraśreṣṭha namaste suranāyaka

Translation

ହେ ବାସୁଦେବ, ଆପଣଙ୍କୁ ନମସ୍କାର; କୈଟଭନାଶକଙ୍କୁ ନମସ୍କାର। ଲକ୍ଷ୍ମୀନିବାସ, ଦେବମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ, ହେ ଦେବନାୟକ, ଆପଣଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରଣାମ।

Word by Word

• वासुदेव: O Vāsudeva
• वासुदेव: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Bhava (Exclamation/भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative singular (to you)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Bhava (Exclamation/भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• कैटभनाशिने: to the slayer of Kaiṭabha
• कैटभनाशिने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैटभ + नाशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative singular; तत्पुरुष (कैटभस्य नाशी)

• लक्ष्म्यालय: O abode of Lakṣmī
• लक्ष्म्यालय: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular; तत्पुरुष (लक्ष्म्याः आलयः = abode of Lakṣmī)

• सुरश्रेष्ठ: O best of the gods
• सुरश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular; तत्पुरुष (सुराणां श्रेष्ठः)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Bhava (Exclamation/भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative singular (to you)

• सुरनायक: O leader of the gods
• सुरनायक: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + नायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular; तत्पुरुष (सुराणां नायकः)

Speaker

Andhaka (deduced; continuation of the praise)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (general)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vāsudeva stands as deva-nāyaka with Lakṣmī at his chest (Śrīvatsa), while in the background the subdued forms of Madhu and Kaiṭabha sink into cosmic waters; devas bow in rows, acknowledging leadership.

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva
• Kaiṭabha
• Lakṣmī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Remembering the Lord’s saving deeds (like destroying Kaiṭabha) strengthens faith in divine protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is pan-Purāṇic praise; the chapter context belongs to the Revā Khaṇḍa’s sacred geography rather than a single named tirtha here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is stated; it exemplifies nāma-smaraṇa and stuti as devotional practice.