Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

मार्गेषु मां रक्षतु नीलकंठः शैलादिदुर्गेषु पुरत्रयारिः । अरण्यवासादिमहाप्रवासे पायान्मृगव्याध उदारशक्तिः

Transliteration

mārgeṣu māṃ rakṣatu nīlakaṃṭhaḥ śailādidurgeṣu puratrayāriḥ | araṇyavāsādimahāpravāse pāyānmṛgavyādha udāraśaktiḥ

Translation

May Nīlakaṇṭha protect me upon the roads; may the Foe of Tripura guard me in perilous places such as mountains and forts. And in great journeys—dwelling in forests and other long sojourns—may the noble and mighty Mṛgavyādha, Śiva, keep me safe.

Word by Word

• मार्गेषु: on roads, in paths
• मार्गेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th); बहुवचन (Plural)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन (Singular)

• रक्षतु: may (he) protect
• रक्षतु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ); प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd); एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• नीलकण्ठः: Nīlakaṇṭha (the blue-throated one, Śiva)
• नीलकण्ठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक); नीलकण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st); एकवचन (Singular)

• शैलादि-दुर्गेषु: in forts like mountains etc.
• शैलादि-दुर्गेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल + आदि + दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक); शैलादिदुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th); बहुवचन (Plural)

• पुरत्रयारिः: enemy of the three cities (Tripurāri, Śiva)
• पुरत्रयारिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर + त्रय + अरि (प्रातिपदिक); पुरत्रयारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st); एकवचन (Singular)

• अरण्यवासादि-महाप्रवासे: in great journeys such as dwelling in forests, etc.
• अरण्यवासादि-महाप्रवासे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरण्य + वास + आदि + महा + प्रवास (प्रातिपदिक); अरण्यवासादिमहाप्रवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th); एकवचन (Singular)

• पायात्: may (he) protect
• पायात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ); प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd); एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• मृगव्याधः: the hunter of beasts (a form/epithet)
• मृगव्याधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग + व्याध (प्रातिपदिक); मृगव्याध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st); एकवचन (Singular)

• उदारशक्तिः: one of noble/generous power
• उदारशक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदार + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक); उदारशक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st); एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Brahmottarakhaṇḍa narrative voice (deduced: Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa addressing sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lone pilgrim on a dusty road approaching a mountain pass and a forest edge; above, Śiva appears in three protective aspects—Nīlakaṇṭha with blue throat, Tripurāri with bow, and Mṛgavyādha as the hunter—forming a luminous shield around the traveler.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Nīlakaṇṭha
• Tripurāntaka (Puratrayāri)
• Mṛgavyādha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It teaches śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) in Śiva in every circumstance—roads, harsh terrains, and long journeys—seeing divine protection as the foundation of dhārmic travel.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse functions as a general Śaiva protection-prayer for yātrā rather than praising one named tīrtha; its mahātmya emphasis is on the safeguarding power of Śiva across all landscapes.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit vrata, dāna, or snāna is prescribed; the implied practice is devotional recitation (japa/pāṭha) of a protective invocation to Śiva before and during travel.