Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

त्वं साक्षी सर्वलोकानां हर्ता त्वं च विचक्षणः । रक्षणोसि महादेव भैरवोसि जगत्पते

Transliteration

tvaṃ sākṣī sarvalokānāṃ hartā tvaṃ ca vicakṣaṇaḥ | rakṣaṇosi mahādeva bhairavosi jagatpate

Translation

You are the witness of all worlds; You are the remover of all. You are discerning. You are the protector, O Mahādeva; You are Bhairava, O Lord of the universe.

Word by Word

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• साक्षी: witness
• साक्षी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सर्वलोकानाम्: of all worlds
• सर्वलोकानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सर्वे लोकाः)

• हर्ता: destroyer; remover
• हर्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृ (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: तृ-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विचक्षणः: discerning; wise
• विचक्षणः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• रक्षणः: protector
• रक्षणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• असि: are
• असि: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• महादेव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचन (Vocative); कर्मधारयः (महान् देवः)

• भैरवः: Bhairava
• भैरवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• असि: are
• असि: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• जगत्पते: O Lord of the world
• जगत्पते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचन (Vocative); समासः (जगतः पतिः)

Speaker

Brahmā (continuing the stotra context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A single divine presence is evoked in multiple aspects: serene witness behind the Liṅga’s glow, and a shadowed Bhairava form guarding the shrine’s threshold, suggesting protection and dissolution together.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Bhairava
• Jagatpati (Lord of the world)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva encompasses all cosmic functions—witnessing, withdrawing, discerning, and protecting—so devotion aligns one with ultimate order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra setting frames this praise; the Lord addressed is the Kedāra-centered Liṅga manifestation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied practice is stuti and remembrance of Śiva as Bhairava and protector.