Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 165

Devanagari script

तत्र सुप्तं सुप्लयंके शेषाख्ये चातिशोभने । लक्ष्म्या पादोपयुगलं सेव्यमानं निरंतरम्

Transliteration

tatra suptaṃ suplayaṃke śeṣākhye cātiśobhane | lakṣmyā pādopayugalaṃ sevyamānaṃ niraṃtaram

Translation

ਉੱਥੇ ਉਸ ਨੇ ਵਿਸ਼ਣੂ ਨੂੰ ਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਨਾਮਕ ਅਤਿ ਸੁੰਦਰ ਸ਼ਯਿਆ ਉੱਤੇ ਸੁੱਤਾ ਹੋਇਆ ਵੇਖਿਆ; ਅਤੇ ਲਕਸ਼ਮੀ ਜੀ ਨਿਰੰਤਰ ਉਸ ਦੇ ਚਰਨ-ਯੁਗਲ ਦੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰ ਰਹੀ ਸੀ।

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण) — indeclinable adverb of place

• सुप्तम्: asleep
• सुप्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुप्त (√स्वप् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकाले कृदन्त — neuter sg (acc./nom.), past passive participle ‘slept/asleep’

• सुप्लयङ्के: on the splendid couch
• सुप्लयङ्के: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुप्लयङ्क (प्रातिपदिक; सु+प्लयङ्क)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन — masculine locative singular; ‘on the excellent couch/bed’

• शेषाख्ये: (on the couch) called Śeṣa
• शेषाख्ये: Adhikarana (Location qualifier/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शेष-आख्य (प्रातिपदिक; शेष + आख्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन — masculine locative singular; ‘named Śeṣa’

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

• अतिशोभने: very splendid
• अतिशोभने: Adhikarana (Location qualifier/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिशोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन — masculine locative singular; ‘very splendid/beautiful’

• लक्ष्म्या: by Lakṣmī
• लक्ष्म्या: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन — feminine instrumental singular

• पादोपयुगलम्: the pair of feet
• पादोपयुगलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद-उपयुगल (प्रातिपदिक; पाद + उपयुगल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन — neuter accusative singular; ‘pair of feet’

• सेव्यमानम्: being served
• सेव्यमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव्यमान (√सेव् धातु, शानच्-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (passive present participle) — neuter sg (acc./nom.), ‘being served’

• निरन्तरम्: continuously
• निरन्तरम्: Sambandha (Adverbial modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निरन्तर (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषणप्रयोग)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण — adverbial use ‘continuously’

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience (ṛṣi/śaunaka-type setting implied by Purāṇic frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene vision of Viṣṇu reclining on the radiant Śeṣa couch; Lakṣmī sits near his feet, gently massaging/attending them without pause; the atmosphere is luminous and still.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Śeṣa
• Lakṣmī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine sovereignty is paired with divine serenity, and Lakṣmī’s service models ideal devotion (sevā) and steadfastness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kṣīrābdhi is portrayed as the sacred realm where Viṣṇu rests on Śeṣa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse emphasizes devotional service as a spiritual ideal.