Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

विष्णुरेव ब्रह्मरूपो ज्ञानयोगाश्रयः स्वयम् । सृजते सर्वभूतानि पालयत्यपि सर्वशः

Transliteration

viṣṇureva brahmarūpo jñānayogāśrayaḥ svayam | sṛjate sarvabhūtāni pālayatyapi sarvaśaḥ

Translation

Viṣṇu selbst ist Brahmā der Gestalt nach, die Zuflucht des Yoga der Erkenntnis. Er erschafft alle Wesen und beschützt sie auch auf jede Weise.

Word by Word

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: indeed, alone
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/बल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• ब्रह्मरूपः: having the form of Brahman
• ब्रह्मरूपः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (brahmaṇaḥ rūpam iti)

• ज्ञानयोगाश्रयः: the support/refuge of jñāna-yoga
• ज्ञानयोगाश्रयः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान + योग + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (jñānayogasya āśrayaḥ)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta-nirdeśa (agent-emphasis/कर्तृनिर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्वार्थे (reflexive adverb: 'by oneself')

• सृजते: creates
• सृजते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सर्वभूतानि: all beings
• सर्वभूतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (sarvāṇi bhūtāni)

• पालयति: protects, sustains
• पालयति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/बल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: 'also/even')

• सर्वशः: in every way, entirely
• सर्वशः: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu appears with a subtle Brahmā-aspect (creative potency) while extending protective gestures; beings emerge and are sheltered, illustrating creation and preservation.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Brahmā
• Jñānayoga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It affirms Viṣṇu’s supremacy and all-encompassing lordship as creator and protector, and upholds jñānayoga as grounded in him.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is mentioned in this verse; it provides theological framing within a tīrtha-focused discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual; it emphasizes taking refuge in knowledge-yoga and devotion to Viṣṇu.