Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

अच्युतानंतवैकुंठ माधवोपेंद्रकेशव । त्रिविक्रम गदापाणे शार्ङ्गपाणे जनार्दन

Transliteration

acyutānaṃtavaikuṃṭha mādhavopeṃdrakeśava | trivikrama gadāpāṇe śārṅgapāṇe janārdana

Translation

“ହେ ଅଚ୍ୟୁତ, ହେ ଅନନ୍ତ, ହେ ବୈକୁଣ୍ଠ; ହେ ମାଧବ, ଉପେନ୍ଦ୍ର, କେଶବ; ହେ ତ୍ରିବିକ୍ରମ, ଗଦାପାଣି, ଶାରଙ୍ଗପାଣି, ଜନାର୍ଦନ!”

Word by Word

• acyuta: O Acyuta
• acyuta: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: acyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ananta: O Ananta
• ananta: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ananta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• vaikuṇṭha: O Vaikuṇṭha
• vaikuṇṭha: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaikuṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• mādhava: O Mādhava
• mādhava: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mādhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• upendra: O Upendra
• upendra: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upendra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• keśava: O Keśava
• keśava: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: keśava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• trivikrama: O Trivikrama
• trivikrama: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: trivikrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• gadāpāṇe: O mace-handed one
• gadāpāṇe: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gadā + pāṇi (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: समासः: gadā-pāṇi (तत्पुरुष/बहुव्रीहि-प्रायः ‘mace-in-hand’); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन (रूपम्: -e)

• śārṅgapāṇe: O Śārṅga-bow-handed one
• śārṅgapāṇe: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śārṅga + pāṇi (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: समासः: śārṅga-pāṇi (‘Śārṅga-bow in hand’); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन (रूपम्: -e)

• janārdana: O Janārdana
• janārdana: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janārdana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Skanda, deduced); the litany is voiced by Vaiṣṇava devotees

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ādikeśava-associated nāma-stotra within Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees chant a rolling garland of Viṣṇu names; the Lord is envisioned with mace and Śārṅga bow, cosmic stride of Trivikrama suggested, while Vyāsa listens/joins amid the procession.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Acyuta
• Ananta
• Vaikuṇṭha
• Mādhava
• Upendra
• Keśava
• Trivikrama
• Śārṅgapāṇi
• Janārdana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Remembering the Lord through many names and forms is itself worship, gathering theology into living devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī as a kṣetra that resounds with Vaiṣṇava praise alongside its Śaiva eminence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Stotra-like nāma-ucchāraṇa (recitation of divine names) as an act of devotion.