Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

नक्षत्राणां यथा चंद्रः प्रदीप्तानां दिवाकरः । तथा त्वं सर्वदेवानामाधिपत्ये व्यवस्थितः

Transliteration

nakṣatrāṇāṃ yathā caṃdraḥ pradīptānāṃ divākaraḥ | tathā tvaṃ sarvadevānāmādhipatye vyavasthitaḥ

Translation

As the Moon is foremost among the stars, and the Sun among the shining lights, so are you established in sovereignty over all the gods.

Word by Word

• नक्षत्राणाम्: of the stars/constellations
• नक्षत्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• यथा: as; just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparison marker/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (as/like)

• चन्द्रः: the moon
• चन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रदीप्तानाम्: of the shining ones
• प्रदीप्तानाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + दीप् (धातु) → प्रदीप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• दिवाकरः: the sun
• दिवाकरः: Karta (Subject in second comparison/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवा + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: दिवायाः करः/दिवसस्य करः (day-maker), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: so; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Correlation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: तुल्यतावाचक-अव्यय (so/likewise)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, सर्वनाम

• सर्वदेवानाम्: of all the gods
• सर्वदेवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/समासार्थ: सर्वेषां देवानाम्, पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• आधिपत्ये: in sovereignty
• आधिपत्ये: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आधिपत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• व्यवस्थितः: established; firmly set
• व्यवस्थितः: Kriya (Predicative state/क्रियासमाना)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु) → व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

Speaker

Devāḥ (the gods)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva as a radiant axis; above him the Moon and Sun bow or align like ornaments; devas arranged in concentric circles acknowledging his central sovereignty.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Candra
• Sūrya (Divākara)
• Nakṣatra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Just as cosmic luminaries lead their domains, Śiva is praised as the supreme leader among all divine powers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it is part of the stuti preceding the detailed tīrtha account.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it is devotional praise.