Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । नमस्ते देवदेवेश करुणाकर शंकर

Transliteration

brahmovāca | namaste devadeveśa karuṇākara śaṃkara

Translation

Brahmā dit : Hommage à toi, Seigneur des dieux, ô Śaṅkara, réservoir de compassion !

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Kriya-bhava (Salutation/क्रियाभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः ‘नमः + ते’

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया/चतुर्थी-एकवचनरूपम् (Acc./Dat. sg); अत्र चतुर्थी (Dative/4th) ‘to you’

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

• करुणा-कर: O bestower of compassion
• करुणा-कर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करुणा (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष ‘करुणां करोति/करुणां ददाति’

• शंकर: O Śaṅkara
• शंकर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu/Setubandha (Rāmeśvara-Setu complex)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śiva (Śaṅkara)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā speaks directly: ‘Namaste’ to Śiva, addressing him as Devadeveśa and Karuṇākara; the focus is on the gesture of añjali and the compassionate, moon-crowned visage of Śaṅkara.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Śiva
• Śaṅkara
• Devadeveśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the highest creator-god approaches Śiva through humility and surrender, showing devotion as the gateway to grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setukhaṇḍa setting frames the praise, linking the narrative to Setu-associated tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The act implied is stuti/namaskāra (reverential salutation), a core devotional practice.