Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

तथापि भक्त्याश्रयतामुपेयुस्तवांघ्रिपद्मं प्रणतार्तिभंजनम् । सुघोरसंसारदवाग्निपीडितो भजामि नित्यं भवभीतिशांतये

Transliteration

tathāpi bhaktyāśrayatāmupeyustavāṃghripadmaṃ praṇatārtibhaṃjanam | sughorasaṃsāradavāgnipīḍito bhajāmi nityaṃ bhavabhītiśāṃtaye

Translation

Yet those who take refuge in devotion reach your lotus-feet, the destroyer of the suffering of the bowed. Tormented by the dreadful wildfire of saṃsāra, I worship you always, for the pacification of fear of worldly becoming.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारार्थक (thus/in that way)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (even/also)

• भक्त्या: by devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आश्रयताम्: (you all) take refuge
• आश्रयताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √श्रि (धातु) → आश्रय (णिच् causative stem)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), बहुवचन

• उपेयूः: they have approached
• उपेयूः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + √इ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अङ्घ्रिपद्मम्: lotus-feet
• अङ्घ्रिपद्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्घ्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (अङ्घ्रेः पद्मम् = lotus of the feet)

• प्रणतार्तिभञ्जनम्: destroyer of the distress of the bowed
• प्रणतार्तिभञ्जनम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणत (कृदन्त; √नम्) + आर्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + भञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक; from √भञ्ज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (प्रणतानाम् आर्तेः भञ्जनम्)

• सुघोरसंसारदवाग्निपीडितः: afflicted by the very terrible forest-fire of saṃsāra
• सुघोरसंसारदवाग्निपीडितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग) + घोर (प्रातिपदिक) + संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + दवाग्नि (प्रातिपदिक; दव + अग्नि) + पीडित (कृदन्त; √पीड्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (सुघोरः संसार-दवाग्निः तेन पीडितः)

• भजामि: I worship/seek
• भजामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative)

• भवभीतिशान्तये: for the pacification of fear of worldly existence
• भवभीतिशान्तये: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक) + भीति (प्रातिपदिक) + शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (भवस्य भीतेः शान्तिः)

Speaker

Rājā (the King)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee kneels before Śiva’s lotus-feet; behind, a forest wildfire symbolizes saṃsāra; a cool stream of grace descends, extinguishing flames around the devotee.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (addressed)
• Saṃsāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional refuge at Śiva’s feet is presented as the sure remedy for the burning anxiety and fear produced by saṃsāra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific place is named; the verse universalizes the refuge-teaching rather than tying it to a geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Continuous worship (nitya-bhajana) and surrender (śaraṇāgati) to the Lord’s lotus-feet are implied.