Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

पतये तस्कराणां ते वनानां पतये नमः । गणानां पतये तुभ्यं विश्वरूपायसाक्षिणे

Transliteration

pataye taskarāṇāṃ te vanānāṃ pataye namaḥ | gaṇānāṃ pataye tubhyaṃ viśvarūpāyasākṣiṇe

Translation

Verehrung Dir als Herrn selbst der Diebe; Verehrung Dir als Herrn der Wälder. Verehrung Dir, dem Herrn der Gaṇas — o Zeuge, dessen Gestalt das Universum ist.

Word by Word

• पतये: to the lord
• पतये: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• तस्कराणाम्: of thieves
• तस्कराणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तस्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (तुभ्यम्-अर्थे वैकल्पिकरूपम्)

• वनानाम्: of forests
• वनानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• पतये: to the lord
• पतये: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Prayojana/Discourse (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात), नमस्कारार्थक

• गणानाम्: of hosts (gaṇas)
• गणानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• पतये: to the lord
• पतये: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• विश्वरूपायसाक्षिणे: to the all-formed witness
• विश्वरूपायसाक्षिणे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व-रूप + साक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कर्मधारय-भावः: विश्वं रूपं यस्य सः + साक्षी)

Speaker

Lakṣmaṇa (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu / Rāmeśvara (Rāmanātha-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (Contextual) sages (e.g., Śaunaka group) / pilgrims

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee at the sea-shore of Setu offers añjali to a cosmic Śiva: gaṇas around him, forests and wild beings in the backdrop, and the universe mirrored in his form as the witnessing presence.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Gaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s sovereignty is universal—beyond social categories—so no being is outside the reach of dharma and grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu-kṣetra/Rāmeśvaram, where Śiva is praised as the all-pervading witness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an all-inclusive salutation used in worship and remembrance.