Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 150

Devanagari script

पालनायोद्यतो विष्णुः किमन्यैश्चर्मचक्षुभिः । इन्द्राद्याश्च सुराः सर्वे विष्णोर्व्यापारकारिणः

Transliteration

pālanāyodyato viṣṇuḥ kimanyaiścarmacakṣubhiḥ | indrādyāśca surāḥ sarve viṣṇorvyāpārakāriṇaḥ

Translation

พระวิษณุทรงมุ่งมั่นเพื่อการคุ้มครอง แล้วจะต้องการผู้อื่นใดเล่า ผู้เห็นได้เพียงด้วยดวงตาเนื้อ? เทวดาทั้งปวงมีอินทราเป็นต้น ล้วนเป็นเพียงผู้ปฏิบัติงานตามพระประสงค์ของพระวิษณุ

Word by Word

• पालनाय: for protection/maintenance
• पालनाय: Sampradana (Purpose/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पालन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान/उद्देश्य), एकवचन; ‘पालनाय’ = for protection

• उद्यतः: intent/ready
• उद्यतः: Karta (as qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्+यत् (धातु) → उद्यत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘उद्यतः’ = intent/ready

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• किम्: what (use/need?)
• किम्: Predicate/Interrogative (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक सर्वनाम

• अन्यैः: by others
• अन्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘by/with others’

• चर्मचक्षुभिः: with skin-eyes (i.e., mere mortals)
• चर्मचक्षुभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्म + चक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चर्मणि चक्षूंषि = eyes of skin)

• इन्द्राद्याः: Indra and others
• इन्द्राद्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘इन्द्रः आदिः येषाम्’ (indrādi-)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• सुराः: gods
• सुराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• व्यापारकारिणः: doers/agents of (his) activity
• व्यापारकारिणः: Karta (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यापार + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (व्यापारं करोति) ‘agents/doers of activity’

Speaker

Vāmana

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (nṛpa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vāmana declares Viṣṇu as the sole vigilant protector; the devas, led by Indra, appear as ministers/agents executing his cosmic administration, contrasted with ‘fleshly-eyed’ limited perception.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Indra
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Limited perception misjudges power; the Purāṇa points to a single divine governance behind many visible authorities.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The doctrinal passage is part of the Vastrāpatha-kṣetra Māhātmya in Prabhāsa, where teachings support the sanctity of the locale.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.