Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

स्वल्प व्ययेन दीपस्य फलमानंतकं नृणाम् । अनंतशयने प्राप्ते पुण्यसंख्या न विद्यते

Transliteration

svalpa vyayena dīpasya phalamānaṃtakaṃ nṛṇām | anaṃtaśayane prāpte puṇyasaṃkhyā na vidyate

Translation

ด้วยค่าใช้จ่ายเพียงเล็กน้อย การถวายประทีปย่อมให้ผลบุญอันไม่สิ้นสุดแก่ชนทั้งหลาย; เมื่อถวายแด่อนันตศยนะ (พระวิษณุบรรทมเหนืออนันตะ) บุญกุศลย่อมนับประมาณมิได้

Word by Word

• स्वल्प: small
• स्वल्प: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन-रूपम्; अत्र 'व्ययेन' इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (Instrumental sense: 'with small expense')

• व्ययेन: by expense/cost
• व्ययेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• दीपस्य: of the lamp
• दीपस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), एकवचनम्

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• अनन्तकम्: endless
• अनन्तकम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; 'फलम्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• नृणाम्: of men/for people
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• अनन्तशयने: in/at Anantaśayana (Viṣṇu)
• अनन्तशयने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + शयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः (अनन्तः शयनम् यस्य/यत्र = Ananta-śayana, Viṣṇu)

• प्राप्ते: when attained/when it arrives
• प्राप्ते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र+√आप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः, पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम्; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute): 'when (it is) reached/when it comes'

• पुण्यसंख्या: the count of merit
• पुण्यसंख्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पुण्यानां संख्या = count of merits)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्ययम्

• विद्यते: is found/exists
• विद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु) (सत्तायाम्; 'to exist/ be found')
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Anantaśayana (Hari)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim offers a single bright lamp before Anantaśayana—Viṣṇu reclining on the serpent Ananta—while the sanctum glows, suggesting immeasurable merit radiating outward.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Anantaśayana
• Ananta (Śeṣa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharmic merit is not proportional to expense; heartfelt offerings to Viṣṇu can yield immeasurable spiritual fruit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The epithet Anantaśayana points to worship of reclining Viṣṇu (common in many temples); the verse highlights the deity-form rather than a single named geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer a lamp to Anantaśayana Viṣṇu; the act is said to produce immeasurable puṇya.