Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

नमो ब्रह्मण्यदेवाय गोब्राह्मणहिताय च । जगद्धिताय कृष्णाय गोविंदाय नमोनमः

Transliteration

namo brahmaṇyadevāya gobrāhmaṇahitāya ca | jagaddhitāya kṛṣṇāya goviṃdāya namonamaḥ

Translation

Ehrerbietung dem Herrn, der das Dharma bewahrt, dem Wohltäter der Kühe und der Brāhmaṇas; Ehrerbietung Kṛṣṇa, Govinda, der das Heil der ganzen Welt will—Ehrerbietung, immer wieder Ehrerbietung.

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; (अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः—salutation formula)

• ब्रह्मण्यदेवाय: to the god devoted to Brahmins/Veda
• ब्रह्मण्यदेवाय: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मण्य + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• गोब्राह्मणहिताय: to the benefactor of cows and Brahmins
• गोब्राह्मणहिताय: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गो + ब्राह्मण + हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• जगद्धिताय: to the welfare of the world (world-benefactor)
• जगद्धिताय: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जगत् + हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कृष्णाय: to Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णाय: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गोविंदाय: to Govinda
• गोविंदाय: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (नमोनमः इति पुनरुक्ति-नमस्कारः)

• नमः: salutation (again)
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Devas (collective prayer within Sūta’s narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas in reverent añjali chant a hymn to Kṛṣṇa-Govinda; Kṛṣṇa appears radiant, serene, holding conch/disc or as cowherd Govinda, embodying protection of cows and brāhmaṇas.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Govinda
• Brahmaṇyadeva
• Cows (go)
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme is praised as dharma’s guardian—especially of go and brāhmaṇa—whose compassion extends to the welfare of all beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha; the verse is a universal Vaiṣṇava prayer.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The practice implied is nāma-japa and stuti (repeated salutations to Govinda/Kṛṣṇa).