Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

त्वं धाता च विधाता च त्वं कर्ता त्वं च रक्षकः । चतुर्विधस्य देवेश भूतग्रामस्य शंकर

Transliteration

tvaṃ dhātā ca vidhātā ca tvaṃ kartā tvaṃ ca rakṣakaḥ | caturvidhasya deveśa bhūtagrāmasya śaṃkara

Translation

Du bist der Erhalter und der Ordner; Du bist der Handelnde und der Beschützer. O Herr der Götter, o Śaṅkara, Du waltst und behütest die ganze Schar der Wesen in ihren vierfachen Einteilungen.

Word by Word

• tvam: you
• tvam: Kartā (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• dhātā: creator, sustainer
• dhātā: Kartā-predicative (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √dhā (धातु) + तृ (कर्तरि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त (तृ-प्रत्यय, agent noun): 'supporter/creator'

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/Conjunction)

• vidhātā: ordainer
• vidhātā: Kartā-predicative (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vi-√dhā (धातु) + तृ (कर्तरि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त (तृ): 'ordainer/arranger'

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/Conjunction)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Kartā (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kartā: doer, maker
• kartā: Kartā-predicative (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + तृ (कर्तरि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त (तृ): 'doer/maker'

• tvam: you
• tvam: Kartā (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/Conjunction)

• rakṣakaḥ: protector
• rakṣakaḥ: Kartā-predicative (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣaka (प्रातिपदिक; √rakṣ धातु + ण्वुल्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-नाम (agent noun): 'protector'

• caturvidhasya: of the fourfold
• caturvidhasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturvidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: चतुर्विधः = 'fourfold'

• deveśa: O Lord of the gods
• deveśa: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: देवानाम् ईशः = 'Lord of the gods'

• bhūtagrāmasya: of the host of beings
• bhūtagrāmasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive dependent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + grāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: भूतानां ग्रामः = 'collection of beings'

• śaṃkara: O Śaṅkara
• śaṃkara: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Viśvāmitra

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaṅkara

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śaṅkara as Devēśa stands or sits in calm authority; around him symbolic representations of the ‘fourfold’ creation—elements, beings, or directions—indicating his sustaining and protective power; the sage continues praise.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Deveśa
• Śaṅkara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord is not only the creator but also the sustainer, regulator, and protector of all life—hence surrender (śaraṇāgati) is rational and sacred.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site is named in this verse; it strengthens the tīrtha-māhātmya by grounding pilgrimage in the Lord’s cosmic sovereignty.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the verse is theological praise.