Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

महेश्वर नमस्तुभ्यं परमानंदविग्रह । गंगाधर नमस्तुभ्यं विश्वेश्वर मृडाव्यय

Transliteration

maheśvara namastubhyaṃ paramānaṃdavigraha | gaṃgādhara namastubhyaṃ viśveśvara mṛḍāvyaya

Translation

Hommage à Toi, ô Maheśvara, dont la forme est la béatitude suprême. Hommage à Toi, ô Gaṅgādhara ; ô Seigneur de l’univers, ô Bienveillant et impérissable.

Word by Word

• महेश्वर: O Maheśvara
• महेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘महान् ईश्वरः’

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (अव्ययप्राय)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय (salutation)

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

• परमानन्दविग्रह: O embodiment of supreme bliss
• परमानन्दविग्रह: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + आनन्द + विग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः—‘परमस्य आनन्दस्य विग्रहः’ (embodiment of supreme bliss)

• गंगाधर: O bearer of the Gaṅgā
• गंगाधर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा + धर (प्रातिपदिक); धर (कृदन्त from धृ धातु, अच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘गङ्गां धरति’ (bearer of the Gaṅgā)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (अव्ययप्राय)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय (salutation)

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

• विश्वेश्वर: O lord of the universe
• विश्वेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘विश्वस्य ईश्वरः’ (lord of the universe)

• मृड: O Mṛḍa
• मृड: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शिवनाम

• अव्यय: O imperishable one
• अव्यय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘अविनाशी’

Speaker

Sucharita

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-kṣetra (Setubandha/Rāmeśvara)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śiva

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva as Gaṅgādhara with Gaṅgā emerging from his matted locks; serene, blissful countenance (paramānanda). The devotee salutes, while the universe motif (Viśveśvara) is hinted through a cosmic halo or mandala.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Maheśvara, Gaṅgādhara, Viśveśvara, Mṛḍa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is both transcendent bliss and immanent benefactor—holder of Gaṅgā and Lord of all—thus worthy of complete surrender.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Setu Māhātmya, Śiva’s praise supports the pilgrimage ideal of approaching sacred waters and sacred space with devotion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse models nāma-smarana and stuti as devotional disciplines.