Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

वयं सर्वे पराक्रांता अतस्त्वां शरणं गताः । त्राह्यस्मान्देवदेवेश शरणं समुपागतान्

Transliteration

vayaṃ sarve parākrāṃtā atastvāṃ śaraṇaṃ gatāḥ | trāhyasmāndevadeveśa śaraṇaṃ samupāgatān

Translation

„Wir alle sind überwältigt worden; darum sind wir zu dir als Zuflucht gekommen. O Herr der Götter, beschütze uns, die wir zu dir um Schutz gekommen sind!“

Word by Word

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; वयम् इति विशेषणवत्

• पराक्रान्ताः: overpowered, afflicted
• पराक्रान्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा + क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle) पराक्रान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (Logical connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (therefore/for this reason)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शरणम्: as refuge
• शरणम्: Gati/Karma (Goal as object/गति-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; गत्यर्थक-क्रियायाः द्वितीया (goal)

• गताः: have gone (taken refuge)
• गताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle) गत; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (having gone)

• त्राहि: protect!
• त्राहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्रा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• अस्मान्: us
• अस्मान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• देवदेवेश: O Lord of the god of gods / O supreme lord
• देवदेवेश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां देवः; तस्य ईशः)

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Gati/Karma (Goal as object/गति-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समुपागतान्: who have come (to you)
• समुपागतान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + उप + गम् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle) समुपागत; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; अस्मान् इति विशेषण

Speaker

Devas (addressing Brahmā as Pitāmaha/Devadeveśa in this episode)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas, visibly defeated, plead for protection with folded hands; their posture conveys surrender and urgency.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śaraṇāgati—seeking refuge with humility—is presented as the dharmic response when one is overwhelmed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it functions as narrative lead-in within the Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it is a prayer for protection.