Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

कर्त्तव्या विधिवत्पूजा ब्राह्मणानां विशेषतः । ध्येयो लक्ष्मीपतिस्तत्र शंखचक्रगदाधरः

Transliteration

karttavyā vidhivatpūjā brāhmaṇānāṃ viśeṣataḥ | dhyeyo lakṣmīpatistatra śaṃkhacakragadādharaḥ

Translation

Deve-se realizar o culto segundo o rito correto, honrando especialmente os brāhmaṇas. Ali, deve-se meditar no Senhor de Lakṣmī, portador da concha, do disco e da maça.

Word by Word

• कर्त्तव्या: must be performed
• कर्त्तव्या: Vidhi (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (must be done)

• विधिवत्: according to proper procedure
• विधिवत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (अव्ययप्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (indeclinable: according to rule)

• पूजा: worship
• पूजा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (feminine nominative singular)

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of/for the brāhmaṇas
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन (masculine genitive plural)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (अव्ययप्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विशेषणार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb: especially)

• ध्येयः: to be meditated upon
• ध्येयः: Vidhi (Injunction/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्यै (धातु) + यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: to be meditated upon); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लक्ष्मीपतिः: Lord of Lakṣmī (Viṣṇu)
• लक्ष्मीपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘लक्ष्म्याः पतिः’ (masculine nominative singular)

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

• शंखचक्रगदाधरः: bearer of conch, discus, and mace
• शंखचक्रगदाधरः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंख (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + गदा (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘शंखं चक्रं गदां च धरति’ (one who bears conch, discus, and mace)

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced: Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa dialogic style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A shrine pavilion in Ayodhyā: devotees perform vidhivat pūjā with lamps and flowers; brāhmaṇas are honored with seats and offerings; in meditation, Lakṣmīpati appears as four-armed śaṅkha-cakra-gadādhara.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmīpati (Viṣṇu)
• śaṅkha
• cakra
• gadā
• brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right worship is both inward and outward: meditation on Viṣṇu’s form is joined with respectful service to brāhmaṇas and rule-guided pūjā.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Rukmiṇī-kuṇḍa tīrtha setting in Ayodhyā, where such worship and meditation are enjoined.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform vidhi-vat pūjā, especially brāhmaṇa-pūjā, and meditate on Lakṣmīpati as śaṅkha-cakra-gadādhara.