Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

शरण्यं मामनुप्राप्तं विद्धि त्वं नृपसत्तम । महद्भूतभयाद्रक्ष यदि शक्नोषि पार्थिव

Transliteration

śaraṇyaṃ māmanuprāptaṃ viddhi tvaṃ nṛpasattama | mahadbhūtabhayādrakṣa yadi śaknoṣi pārthiva

Translation

হে নৃপশ্রেষ্ঠ, আমাকে শরণাগত বলে জানুন। হে পার্থিব, যদি পারেন তবে সেই মহাভূতের ভয় থেকে আমাকে রক্ষা করুন।

Word by Word

• शरण्यम्: worthy of refuge / seeking refuge
• शरण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; (माम्) इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

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

• अनुप्राप्तम्: arrived (to you)
• अनुप्राप्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; (माम्) इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• विद्धि: know / understand
• विद्धि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• नृप-सत्तम: O best of kings
• नृप-सत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नृपाणां सत्तमः)

• महत्-भूत-भयात्: from fear of the great being
• महत्-भूत-भयात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (महतो भूतस्य भयम्; तस्मात्)

• रक्ष: protect
• रक्ष: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional: if)

• शक्नोषि: are able
• शक्नोषि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• पार्थिव: O king
• पार्थिव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Yājñavalkya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In Janaka’s court, Yājñavalkya stands with folded hands, declaring himself a refugee and pleading for protection from the mighty being’s terror.

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• Janaka
• Mahābhūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śaraṇāgati (seeking refuge) is presented as a dharmic act; it also tests whether worldly protectors can truly shield one from cosmic consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a single tīrtha is named in this verse; the Revā Khaṇḍa context ties the teaching to the sacred Narmadā landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No rite is prescribed; the verse focuses on the ethical duty of protection and the humility of requesting refuge.