Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

सर्वेषामेव भूतानां हरिर्नित्यं हृदि स्थितः । स एव हि पराभूतो यो भूतद्रोहकारकः

Transliteration

sarveṣāmeva bhūtānāṃ harirnityaṃ hṛdi sthitaḥ | sa eva hi parābhūto yo bhūtadrohakārakaḥ

Translation

هاري (Hari) قائمٌ أبدًا في قلب كل كائن. حقًّا، إن مؤذي المخلوقات الحيّة هو المهزوم على الحقيقة، إذ يسيء إلى الربّ الساكن في الداخل.

Word by Word

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (भूतानाम् इति विशेष्ये) Genitive plural

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• भूतानाम्: of living beings
• भूतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोग (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-द्वितीया एकवचन); adverbial accusative

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• स्थितः: situated, abiding
• स्थितः: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Past passive participle used predicatively

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun nominative singular

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• पराभूतः: is defeated
• पराभूतः: Vidhi (Predicate adjective/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराभू (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘defeated/overcome’

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Relative pronoun nominative singular

• भूतद्रोहकारकः: one who causes harm to beings
• भूतद्रोहकारकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रोह (प्रातिपदिक) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भूतानां द्रोहं करोति इति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Brahmā (inferred from chapter colophon context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visionary depiction of Hari as a subtle presence within the hearts of humans and animals; a would-be aggressor is shown ‘defeated’ by conscience and divine witness.

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Bhūta (living beings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Because Hari dwells within all, harming beings is spiritually self-defeating and contradicts devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya discourse in Nāgara-khaṇḍa, tying tīrtha life to universal compassion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoid bhūta-droha (injury to beings) as a core ethical rule, especially during vrata observances like Cāturmāsya.