Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

विष्णोर्देवाधिदेवस्य प्रमाणं येऽपि कुर्वते । प्रजापतेर्जगद्धातुस्तेषामपि नमाम्यहम्

Transliteration

viṣṇordevādhidevasya pramāṇaṃ ye'pi kurvate | prajāpaterjagaddhātusteṣāmapi namāmyaham

Translation

Je m’incline même devant ceux qui attestent la vraie grandeur de Viṣṇu, le Dieu au-dessus des dieux ; et de même devant ceux qui honorent Prajāpati, soutien du monde.

Word by Word

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular (of Viṣṇu)

• देवाधिदेवस्य: of the God over gods
• देवाधिदेवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + अधिदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular; तत्पुरुष (देवानाम् अधिदेवः = god over gods)

• प्रमाणम्: proof/authority
• प्रमाणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (object)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural (who)

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

• कुर्वते: they make/hold
• कुर्वते: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; Present indicative 3rd plural (they do/make)

• प्रजापतेः: of Prajāpati
• प्रजापतेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular (of Prajāpati)

• जगद्धातुः: of the world-creator
• जगद्धातुः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + धातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular; तत्पुरुष (जगतः धाता = creator/supporter of the world)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive plural (of them)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (also)

• नमामि: I bow
• नमामि: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; Present indicative 1st singular (I bow)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (I)

Speaker

Andhaka (deduced; inclusive reverence during praise)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (general)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A gathering on the riverbank: Vaiṣṇava devotees with tilaka and brāhmaṇa ritualists honoring Prajāpati/Brahmā symbolism; the speaker bows to both groups, indicating harmony; above, Viṣṇu and Prajāpati represented as cosmic principles rather than competing sects.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Prajāpati

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes honoring those who uphold divine truth and cosmic order, not only the deity directly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tirtha is named in this verse; it functions as theological praise within the Revā Khaṇḍa narrative setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it emphasizes reverence (namaskāra) as a dhārmic attitude.