Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

व्यजनेनाथ वस्त्रेण सुभक्त्या मातरिश्वना । देवदेवस्य राजेन्द्र कुरुते धर्मवारणम्

Transliteration

vyajanenātha vastreṇa subhaktyā mātariśvanā | devadevasya rājendra kurute dharmavāraṇam

Translation

அரசே, விசிறியும் ஆடையும்—இவற்றை நல்வழிபாட்டுடன் அர்ப்பணித்தால், மாதரிச்வன் (வாயு) தேவர்களின் தேவனுக்குத் தர்மக் காவல் எனும் மறையைச் செய்கிறான்.

Word by Word

• व्यजनेन: with a fan
• व्यजनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• अथ: then/and
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (particle)

• वस्त्रेण: with a cloth/garment
• वस्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• सुभक्त्या: with good devotion
• सुभक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समासः—सु-भक्तिः (उत्तमा भक्ति)

• मातरिश्वना: by the wind (Mātariśvan)
• मातरिश्वना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातरिश्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; ‘वायु’ इत्यर्थः

• देवदेवस्य: of the God of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; समासः—देवानां देवः

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—राज्ञाम् इन्द्रः

• कुरुते: does, performs
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, तृतीयपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• धर्मवारणम्: protection/safeguard of dharma
• धर्मवारणम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + वारण (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—धर्मस्य वारणम् (रक्षणम्/निवारणम्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājendra (king, as addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee offers a fan and a fine cloth before Kṛṣṇa; the wind-god Mātariśvan manifests as a luminous airy presence, forming a protective veil around the deity—‘dharma-shielding’ made visible as a swirling mandala of wind.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa (Deva-deva)
• Mātariśvan (Vāyu)
• Dvārakā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional service aligns cosmic forces with dharma, turning simple offerings into sacred protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, where Kṛṣṇa is worshiped as Deva-deva through upacāras like fan and cloth.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering service with a fan (vyajana) and cloth/garments (vastra) to the deity, done with sincere bhakti.