Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

ओंकारवक्त्रां गायत्रीं त्वामर्चंति द्विजोत्तमाः । ऊर्जितां बलदां पापि राजानः सुमहाबलाः

Transliteration

oṃkāravaktrāṃ gāyatrīṃ tvāmarcaṃti dvijottamāḥ | ūrjitāṃ baladāṃ pāpi rājānaḥ sumahābalāḥ

Translation

إنّ خِيارَ ذوي الولادتين يعبدونكِ بوصفكِ «غاياتري» التي وجهُها الأومكارا؛ والملوكُ العظامُ ذوو البأس يعبدونكِ بوصفكِ القويّةَ المانحةَ للقوّة، يا سيّدةَ محوِ الخطيئة.

Word by Word

• oṃkāra-vaktrām: whose face is Oṃkāra
• oṃkāra-vaktrām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: oṃkāra (प्रातिपदिक) + vaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘ओंकारः वक्त्रं यस्याः’ इति बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रयोगः, रूपतः तत्पुरुष

• gāyatrīm: Gāyatrī (goddess/metre)
• gāyatrīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gāyatrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tva (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• arcanti: worship
• arcanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arc (धातु; पूजायाम्)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• dvija-uttamāḥ: the best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• dvija-uttamāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; ‘द्विजेषु उत्तमाः’ इति सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष

• ūrjitām: mighty
• ūrjitām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ūrjitā (प्रातिपदिक; √ūrj/ūrjay? as adjective ‘strong’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• baladām: giver of strength
• baladām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक) + dā (धातु; दाने) → dā (प्रातिपदिक ‘giver’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘बलं ददाति’ इति उपपद-तत्पुरुष

• pāpi: O sin-destroying/ (lit.) O sinful one
• pāpi: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; ‘पापिनि’ इत्यर्थे (vocative)

• rājānaḥ: kings
• rājānaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• su-mahā-balāḥ: very mighty
• su-mahā-balāḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘सुमहत् बलं येषाम्’ इति बहुव्रीह्यर्थे, रूपतः तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa framing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gāyatrī (mantra-tīrtha concept)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two worship-streams: dvijottamas adore Devī as Oṃ-faced Gāyatrī; mighty kings worship her as the powerful, strength-giving, sin-destroying Lady.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Gāyatrī
• Oṃkāra
• Dvijottama
• Rājānaḥ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devī is approached according to one’s dharma: as Gāyatrī by the twice-born through mantra, and as strength-bestower by rulers through righteous power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse emphasizes mantra identity (Gāyatrī/Oṃkāra) and devotional approach.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Arcana (worship) of Devī as Gāyatrī and reverence to Oṃkāra-centered mantra practice are implied.