Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

व्यापकः सर्वभूतानां देवदेवो महेश्वरः । संतापयति लोकांस्त्रींस्तन्निवारय गोपते

Transliteration

vyāpakaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ devadevo maheśvaraḥ | saṃtāpayati lokāṃstrīṃstannivāraya gopate

Translation

Maheśvara, der Gott der Götter, der alle Wesen durchdringt, versengt die drei Welten. O Herr der Götter, Indra, halte ihn zurück!

Word by Word

• व्यापकः: all-pervading
• व्यापकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यापक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सर्वभूतानाम्: of all beings
• सर्वभूतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• देवदेवः: God of gods
• देवदेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महेश्वरः: Mahā-īśvara
• महेश्वरः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संतापयति: afflicts; torments
• संतापयति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√तप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोजक (causative sense: causes to burn/afflict)

• लोकान्: worlds
• लोकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• त्रीन्: three
• त्रीन्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (लोकान्)

• तत्: that (situation)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निवारय: stop; prevent
• निवारय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√वृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच् (causative: cause to cease/stop)

• गोपते: O lord/protector (gopati)
• गोपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो-पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Devas and Asuras (petitioning Indra; reported by Mārkaṇḍeya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā-sāgara (contextual)

Type: sangam

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas addressing Indra with urgency; in the background, a vision of vast, pervading Maheśvara whose radiance heats the cosmos—three worlds shown as layered spheres.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Indra (Gopati)
• Three worlds

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divinity is immanent (vyāpaka) and overwhelming in power; cosmic governance seeks harmony by appealing through rightful channels.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None directly; this is part of the mythic prelude that will connect to later sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a plea/request (prārthanā) within the narrative.