Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

हृदये चेश्वरः शंभुर्नाभौ ब्रह्मा सनातनः । पृथ्वी पादतलाग्रे जलं सर्वगतं तथा

Transliteration

hṛdaye ceśvaraḥ śaṃbhurnābhau brahmā sanātanaḥ | pṛthvī pādatalāgre jalaṃ sarvagataṃ tathā

Translation

Im Herzen ist der Herr Śambhu; im Nabel der ewige Brahmā. An den Fußsohlen ist die Erde; und das Wasser durchdringt gleichermaßen alles.

Word by Word

• हृदये: in the heart
• हृदये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

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

• ईश्वरः: the Lord
• ईश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शम्भुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ईश्वरः इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोज़िशन

• नाभौ: in the navel
• नाभौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (प्रातिपदिक: ब्रह्मन्; रूप: ब्रह्मा)

• सनातनः: eternal
• सनातनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन—ब्रह्मा इति विशेषण

• पृथ्वी: earth
• पृथ्वी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथ्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पादतलाग्रे: at the front of the sole (of the foot)
• पादतलाग्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद-तल-अग्र (प्रातिपदिक; पाद + तल + अग्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन—“at the tip/front of the sole of the foot”

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सर्वगतम्: all-pervading
• सर्वगतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-गत (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + गत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन—जलम् इति विशेषण; “all-pervading”

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hṛdaya-Śambhu, Nābhi-Brahmā, Pāda-bhūmi, Sarvagata-jala (Deha-tīrtha mapping)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotional body-mandala: heart-lotus containing Śiva-Śambhu; navel-lotus containing four-faced Brahmā; soles resting on a stylized Earth-disc; translucent waves of water permeating the figure.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Brahmā
• Pṛthvī
• Jala

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The human body mirrors cosmic sacred order: deities and elements are contemplated as present within.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

An inner tīrtha mapping is taught rather than a named external pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied contemplative practice: meditate on Śiva in the heart and Brahmā in the navel, and on the elements within the body.