Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

सगर्भाह्यभवन्सर्वे चिंतया चप्रपीडिताः । विष्णुं शरणमाजग्मुर्द्देवदेवेश्वरं प्रभुम्

Transliteration

sagarbhāhyabhavansarve ciṃtayā caprapīḍitāḥ | viṣṇuṃ śaraṇamājagmurddevadeveśvaraṃ prabhum

Translation

Alle wurden schwanger und von Sorge gequält. Darum suchten sie Zuflucht bei Viṣṇu, dem Herrn, dem Lenker der Götter.

Word by Word

• सगर्भाः: pregnant/with embryo
• सगर्भाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक; स उपसर्ग/अव्यय + गर्भ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘गर्भयुक्ताः’ (having pregnancy/embryo)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/हेतु-सूचक (indeed/for)

• अभवन्: became/were
• अभवन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वे: all (of them)
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषणप्रयोग (all)

• चिन्तया: by anxiety/worry
• चिन्तया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिन्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण (instrumental)

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

• प्रपीडिताः: afflicted/tormented
• प्रपीडिताः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-पीड् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘अत्यन्तं पीडिताः’

• विष्णुम्: Vishnu
• विष्णुम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• शरणम्: as refuge
• शरणम्: Gati/Prayojana (Goal/प्रयोजन-गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; गत्यर्थक्रियायां द्वितीया—‘शरणं’ (as refuge)

• आजग्मुः: went/approached
• आजग्मुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• देवदेवेश्वरम्: the Lord of the gods, supreme ruler
• देवदेवेश्वरम्: Karman (Object apposition/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘देवानां देवः’ + ‘देवस्य ईश्वरः’ (lord of the god of gods / lord of gods)

• प्रभुम्: the master
• प्रभुम्: Karman (Object apposition/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विष्णोः विशेषण (appositive)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta (narration to the sages, per Māheśvarakhaṇḍa convention)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of distressed devas, visibly burdened and anxious, approach Viṣṇu in reverence, hands folded, seeking protection amid a cosmic emergency.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When overwhelmed, one should seek śaraṇa (refuge) in the divine protector—humility and surrender restore order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedārakhaṇḍa context remains the sacred frame; this verse emphasizes refuge rather than a site-specific merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; it highlights the devotional act of śaraṇāgati (seeking divine protection).