Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

क्षीरोदशायिनं विष्णुं शेषपर्य्यंकशायिनम् । लक्ष्म्योपविष्टं पार्श्वे च चरणांबुजहस्तया

Transliteration

kṣīrodaśāyinaṃ viṣṇuṃ śeṣaparyyaṃkaśāyinam | lakṣmyopaviṣṭaṃ pārśve ca caraṇāṃbujahastayā

Translation

انہوں نے وشنو کو دیکھا جو کِشیر ساگر پر شیش کی سیج پر آرام فرما تھے؛ اور لکشمی اُن کے پہلو میں بیٹھی تھیں، اُن کا ہاتھ اُن کے کنول جیسے قدموں پر تھا۔

Word by Word

• क्षीरोदशायिनम्: lying on the Ocean of Milk
• क्षीरोदशायिनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षीर-उद + शायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध: 'क्षीरोदे शयते' इति); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• शेषपर्य्यंकशायिनम्: lying on the couch of Śeṣa
• शेषपर्य्यंकशायिनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शेष + पर्य्यङ्क + शायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अधिकरण/सम्बन्ध: 'शेषस्य पर्य्यङ्के शयते'); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• लक्ष्म्या: by Lakṣmī
• लक्ष्म्या: Karana (Instrument/Agentive means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• उपविष्टम्: seated (attended)
• उपविष्टम्: Kriya (Result state/क्रियाफल)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-विश् (धातु) → उपविष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• पार्श्वे: at the side
• पार्श्वे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक-लिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• चरणाम्बुज: of (his) lotus-feet
• चरणाम्बुज: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण + अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ('अम्बुज-सदृशं चरणम्'); नपुंसक-लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपदत्वात्)

• हस्तया: with (her) hand
• हस्तया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced; Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kṣīroda (Kṣīrābdhi)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous vision of Viṣṇu reclining on Śeṣa upon the Milk-Ocean; Lakṣmī sits beside him, her hand resting on his lotus-feet in gentle service.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Śeṣa
• Lakṣmī
• Kṣīroda (Ocean of Milk)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa anchors devotion in a vivid divine form: Viṣṇu as cosmic refuge, attended by Lakṣmī, embodying protection and grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse depicts Viṣṇu’s cosmic abode on the Ocean of Milk; it serves as narrative theology supporting the local shrine-mahātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the verse provides a dhyāna-like description suitable for contemplation and worship.