Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

ओंक्षां क्षेत्रपालाय नमः । इति नवाक्षरो महामंत्रः

Transliteration

oṃkṣāṃ kṣetrapālāya namaḥ | iti navākṣaro mahāmaṃtraḥ

Translation

“ওঁ ক্ষাঁ ক্ষেত্রপালায় নমঃ”—ইহাই নবাক্ষর মহামন্ত্র বলে ঘোষিত।

Word by Word

• oṃkṣāṃ: the mantra-syllable ‘oṃkṣāṃ’
• oṃkṣāṃ: Sambodhana/Mantra (Invocation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: oṃkṣāṃ (मन्त्रपद/बीजाक्षर; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग)
• Form: मन्त्र-बीज (mantric syllable), अव्ययवत्; उच्चारणमात्र

• kṣetrapālāya: to the guardian of the sacred place
• kṣetrapālāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetrapāla (क्षेत्रपाल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th case), एकवचन; सम्प्रदानवाचक; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्षेत्रस्य पालः)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Kriya (Salutation act)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (नमस्)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable interjection); नमस्कारार्थक

• iti: thus
• iti: Discourse marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (इति)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक (quotative)

• navākṣaraḥ: nine-syllabled
• navākṣaraḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: navākṣara (नव + अक्षर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषण (महामन्त्रः); समासः—द्विगु (नव अक्षराणि यस्य)

• mahāmaṃtraḥ: the great mantra
• mahāmaṃtraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahāmantra (महामन्त्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महान् मन्त्रः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) giving the mantra (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A close ritual moment: devotee at a gateway/guardian shrine recites the nine-syllabled mantra, hands in añjali, with a small fierce guardian icon nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Kṣetrapāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mantra is a focused means of devotion: invoking Kṣetrapāla establishes spiritual protection and reverence for sacred boundaries.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the mantra is applicable wherever Kṣetrapāla is honored as guardian of a sacred precinct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa of the nine-syllabled mantra: “oṃ kṣāṃ kṣetrapālāya namaḥ.”