Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

गवाक्ष उवाच । अज्ञानपाशबद्धानां पशूनां पाशमोचकम् । रामेश्वरं शिवं शांतमुपैमि शरणं सदा

Transliteration

gavākṣa uvāca | ajñānapāśabaddhānāṃ paśūnāṃ pāśamocakam | rāmeśvaraṃ śivaṃ śāṃtamupaimi śaraṇaṃ sadā

Translation

Gavākṣa sprach: Für die Wesen, die durch das Seil der Unwissenheit gebunden sind, ist Er der Löser der Fesseln. Stets nehme ich Zuflucht zu Rāmeśvara—Śiva, dem Friedvollen.

Word by Word

• गवाक्षः: Gavākṣa (name of speaker)
• गवाक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गवाक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अज्ञान: ignorance
• अज्ञान: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद

• पाश: bond, noose
• पाश: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासमध्यपद

• बद्धानाम्: of those who are bound
• बद्धानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; (bound)

• पशूनाम्: of beings (souls)
• पशूनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पाश: bond/noose
• पाश: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद

• मोचकम्: the releaser
• मोचकम्: Karman
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (ण्वुल्/क), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (one who releases)

• रामेश्वरम्: Rāmeśvara
• रामेश्वरम्: Karman
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रामस्य ईश्वरः)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karman
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शान्तम्: peaceful
• शान्तम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक; √शम्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उपैमि: I approach
• उपैमि: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + इ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Gati/Karman (Goal as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (गत्यर्थे द्वितीया)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

Speaker

Gavākṣa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rāmeśvara

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gavākṣa kneels in surrender before a tranquil Śiva-liṅga; a dark rope/noose symbolizing ignorance falls away and dissolves into light, while Śiva’s calm radiance spreads like moonlight.

Characters & Entities

• Rāmeśvara
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bondage is rooted in ignorance, and refuge in Rāmeśvara-Śiva is portrayed as the means to release and inner peace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Rāmeśvaram at Setu, celebrated as a place and deity granting liberation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse emphasizes śaraṇāgati (taking refuge); no explicit external ritual is listed.