Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

देवा ऊचुः । नमस्ते देवदेवेश भक्तानामभयप्रद । नमस्ते जगदाधार शशिराजितशेखर

Transliteration

devā ūcuḥ | namaste devadeveśa bhaktānāmabhayaprada | namaste jagadādhāra śaśirājitaśekhara

Translation

The Devas said: Salutations to you, O Lord of the lords of gods, bestower of fearlessness to devotees. Salutations to you, the support of the world, whose crest is adorned by the Moon-king.

Word by Word

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावप्रयोगे (salutation formula)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया/चतुर्थी/षष्ठी?—अत्र चतुर्थी (4th case) एकवचन, दत्तिसम्बन्धे (to you)

• देवदेवेश: O Lord of the gods
• देवदेवेश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समासः—देवानां देवः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + ईशः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• भक्तानाम्: of devotees
• भक्तानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √भज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन

• अभयप्रद: O giver of fearlessness
• अभयप्रद: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभय + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक; √दा/प्रदा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—अभयं प्रददाति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नमस्ते इति प्रयोगः

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th case), एकवचन

• जगदाधार: O support of the world
• जगदाधार: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + आधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—जगतः आधारः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• शशिराजितशेखर: O one whose crest is adorned by the moon
• शशिराजितशेखर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशि + राजित + शेखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—शशिना राजितः शेखरः यस्य सः (बहुव्रीहि)

Speaker

Devāḥ (the gods)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas stand at the edge of the pit with folded hands, faces uplifted; Śiva’s crescent moon glints on his matted hair; a subtle halo forms as the stuti begins, with celestial flowers drifting down.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Candra (Moon)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Taking refuge in Mahādeva grants fearlessness; devotion is presented as a direct source of protection and stability.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse functions as an opening hymn within Tīrthamāhātmya; the specific tīrtha is introduced by the surrounding narrative rather than named in this single śloka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed here; the implied practice is stuti (praise) and namaskāra (salutation) to Śiva.