Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

ततो विष्णुः सहस्राक्षः सहस्रशीर्षः सहस्रपात् । सहस्रशस्तदा रूपं कृतवान्धर्मवत्सलः । यस्मिन्स्थाने च ये विप्राः सदाचाराः शुभव्रताः

Transliteration

tato viṣṇuḥ sahasrākṣaḥ sahasraśīrṣaḥ sahasrapāt | sahasraśastadā rūpaṃ kṛtavāndharmavatsalaḥ | yasminsthāne ca ye viprāḥ sadācārāḥ śubhavratāḥ

Translation

ତାପରେ ସହସ୍ରନେତ୍ର, ସହସ୍ରଶିର, ସହସ୍ରପାଦ ଧର୍ମବତ୍ସଳ ବିଷ୍ଣୁ ଅନେକ ରୂପ ଧାରଣ କଲେ। ଏବଂ ସେଇ ସ୍ଥାନରେ ସଦାଚାରୀ, ଶୁଭବ୍ରତଧାରୀ ବିପ୍ରମାନେ ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠିତ ହେଲେ।

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (adverb: 'then/thereupon')

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सहस्राक्षः: having a thousand eyes
• सहस्राक्षः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहि-विशेषण (possessive epithet)

• सहस्रशीर्षः: having a thousand heads
• सहस्रशीर्षः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहि-विशेषण

• सहस्रपात्: having a thousand feet
• सहस्रपात्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहि-विशेषण; पदान्त-त् (irregular nominative form)

• सहस्रशः: in thousands
• सहस्रशः: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/बहुत्वबोधक (adverb: 'by thousands/in thousands')

• तदा: at that time
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालबोधक (temporal adverb)

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• कृतवान्: made/assumed (having made)
• कृतवान्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + कृतवत् (कृदन्त; क्तवतु-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्तवतु-कृदन्त (perfect participle: 'having done/made'); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (active sense)

• धर्मवत्सलः: fond of dharma
• धर्मवत्सलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• यस्मिन्: in which
• यस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• स्थाने: place
• स्थाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• ये: who/which (those)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम

• विप्राः: Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सदाचाराः: of good conduct
• सदाचाराः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

• शुभव्रताः: having auspicious vows
• शुभव्रताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

Speaker

Vyāsa (narration continuing); action of Viṣṇu described

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu manifests in a vast cosmic form—many eyes, heads, feet—filling the sky above Dharmāraṇya; below, disciplined brāhmaṇas with sacred threads and calm faces are being established in orderly āśramas.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Dharmāraṇya (place implied)
• Vipras (Brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Viṣṇu’s dharma-protecting power manifests to establish righteous communities, making a place spiritually stable and renowned.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya, where Viṣṇu’s manifestation supports the settlement of virtuous brāhmaṇas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not a single rite; the verse emphasizes establishing sadācāra and śubha-vrata brāhmaṇas as custodians of Vedic practice.