Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

एवं चतुःषष्टिमिताञ्छरणं यामि क्षेत्रपान् । प्रसीदंतु प्रसीदंतु तृप्यंतु मम पूजया

Transliteration

evaṃ catuḥṣaṣṭimitāñcharaṇaṃ yāmi kṣetrapān | prasīdaṃtu prasīdaṃtu tṛpyaṃtu mama pūjayā

Translation

So nehme ich Zuflucht zu den Kṣetrapālas, vierundsechzig an der Zahl. Mögen sie gnädig sein—mögen sie gnädig sein—und mögen sie durch meine Verehrung zufrieden werden.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• चतुःषष्टि-मितान्: measured as sixty-four (i.e., sixty-four in number)
• चतुःषष्टि-मितान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुःषष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + मित (कृदन्त; √मा (माने) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; विशेषण (acc. pl. masc.)

• शरणम्: refuge, shelter
• शरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (acc. sg. neut.)

• यामि: I go, I resort to
• यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (गत्यर्थे)
• Form: लट्-लकार; उत्तम-पुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद (present indicative, 1st sg.)

• क्षेत्रपान्: the Kṣetrapas (guardian deities of the sacred place)
• क्षेत्रपान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्रप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (acc. pl. masc.)

• प्रसीदन्तु: may they be gracious
• प्रसीदन्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सद् (सीद्) उपसर्ग-प्र + (लोट्)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ/benedictive imperative); मध्यम-पुरुष? (न); प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (imperative, 3rd pl.)

• प्रसीदन्तु: may they be gracious
• प्रसीदन्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सद् (सीद्) उपसर्ग-प्र + (लोट्)
• Form: लोट्-लकार; प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (imperative, 3rd pl.; repetition for emphasis)

• तृप्यन्तु: may they be satisfied
• तृप्यन्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तृप् (तृप्तौ)
• Form: लोट्-लकार; प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (imperative, 3rd pl.)

• मम: of me, my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति; एकवचन; सर्वनाम (gen. sg.)

• पूजया: by (my) worship
• पूजया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (instr. sg.)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee with folded hands invokes a circle of sixty-four fierce yet protective kṣetrapālas around a sacred precinct; lamps, incense, and offerings placed at the threshold; guardians appear at gates and corners, satisfied by worship.

Characters & Entities

• Kṣetrapāla
• Sixty-four (catuḥṣaṣṭi) guardians

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) and humble worship invite divine protection and remove obstacles on the sacred path.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching applies broadly to any kṣetra; it does not specify one pilgrimage site in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Take refuge in the sixty-four Kṣetrapālas and perform pūjā with the intent to please and satisfy them.