Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

शंखचक्रगदापाणे मां समुद्धर माधव

Transliteration

śaṃkhacakragadāpāṇe māṃ samuddhara mādhava

Translation

Ôi Mādhava, Đấng tay cầm ốc tù và, đĩa thần và chùy—xin nâng con lên và cứu độ con!

Word by Word

• शंख-चक्र-गदा-पाणे: O one whose hand holds conch, discus, and mace
• शंख-चक्र-गदा-पाणे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंख + चक्र + गदा + पाणि (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुषः (शंखचक्रगदाः यस्य पाणौ/पाणिषु); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th, vocative), एकवचनम्

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, एकवचनम्, द्वितीया (2nd, accusative)

• समुद्धर: lift up/rescue
• समुद्धर: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-√हृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचनम्; उपसर्गः—सम् + उद्; धातुः—√हृ (हरणे)

• माधव: O Mādhava
• माधव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Viṣṇuśarmā (devotee, supplication within the hymn)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā-kṣetra (Sarayū-tīrtha implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee in folded hands pleads to Mādhava; Viṣṇu is envisioned with śaṅkha, cakra, and gadā, radiating protective compassion.

Characters & Entities

• Mādhava (Viṣṇu)
• Śaṅkha
• Cakra
• Gadā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sincere surrender (śaraṇāgati) to Viṣṇu is a direct call for liberation and protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā is the narrative setting; the prayer arises within its Māhātmya, highlighting the city as a sacred space for grace.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is specified; it is a short mantra-like plea suitable for japa as an invocation of rescue.