Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 103

Devanagari script

गणोऽहं देवदेवस्य त्रिनेत्रस्य महात्मनः । पालकेति च विख्यातो गणकोटिप्रभुः स्थितः

Transliteration

gaṇo'haṃ devadevasya trinetrasya mahātmanaḥ | pālaketi ca vikhyāto gaṇakoṭiprabhuḥ sthitaḥ

Translation

Ich bin ein Gaṇa des Gottes der Götter, des großherzigen, dreiaugigen Herrn. Als Pālaka bin ich berühmt und als Befehlshaber über Krore von Gaṇas eingesetzt.

Word by Word

• गणः: attendant, gaṇa
• गणः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject, apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• देवदेवस्य: of the God of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां देवः); पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• त्रिनेत्रस्य: of the three-eyed (one)
• त्रिनेत्रस्य: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of devadeva)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगुसमास (त्रीणि नेत्राणि यस्य); पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled
• महात्मनः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of devadeva)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास; पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• पालक: Protector (as a name)
• पालक: Predicate nominative (Name)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन (नामरूपेण)

• इति: thus
• इति: Quotation marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यर्थक निपात (quotative)

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• विख्यातः: renowned, known
• विख्यातः: Karta (Subject, predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ख्या (धातु) → विख्यात (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गणकोटिप्रभुः: lord of crores of gaṇas
• गणकोटिप्रभुः: Karta (Subject, apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (गणानां कोटीनां प्रभुः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्थितः: standing, remaining
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Pālaka (a Śaiva gaṇa), speaking to the sage

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Gālava

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A figure (or transformed being) declares his true identity as Pālaka, commander of countless gaṇas; behind him, a visionary backdrop shows the Three-eyed Śiva with gaṇas in attendance, suggesting hidden divinity beneath the curse.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Trinetra)
• Pālaka
• gaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even exalted beings in divine service must uphold self-control; status does not exempt one from dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it introduces the speaker’s Śaiva identity within a Tīrthamāhātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is self-identification (ātma-paricaya) of a Śiva-gaṇa.