Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अव्यक्तायाऽप्रमेयाय सर्वदेवमयाय च । सर्वज्ञाय कवीशाय सर्वभूतात्मने तथा

Transliteration

avyaktāyā'prameyāya sarvadevamayāya ca | sarvajñāya kavīśāya sarvabhūtātmane tathā

Translation

Hommage à l’Inmanifesté, à l’Incommensurable, à Celui qui est l’essence de tous les dieux; à l’Omniscient, Seigneur des voyants et des poètes, et aussi au Soi demeurant en tous les êtres—à Lui, révérence.

Word by Word

• अव्यक्ताय: to the unmanifest
• अव्यक्ताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचन; विशेषण

• अप्रमेयाय: to the immeasurable
• अप्रमेयाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रमेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचन; विशेषण

• सर्वदेवमयाय: to the one made of all gods
• सर्वदेवमयाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + देव + मय (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचन; ‘सर्वदेवैः मयः/पूर्णः’ (consisting of all gods)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सर्वज्ञाय: to the omniscient
• सर्वज्ञाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचन; विशेषण

• कवीशाय: to the lord of seers
• कवीशाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवि + ईश (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचन; ‘कवीनाम् ईशः’ (lord of sages/poets)

• सर्वभूतात्मने: to the soul of all beings
• सर्वभूतात्मने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भूत + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचन; ‘सर्वभूतानाम् आत्मा’ (self of all beings)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: ‘thus/likewise’)

Speaker

Narrator of the Tīrthamāhātmya (continuation of invocatory praise)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic-theological tableau: the Lord as unmanifest radiance behind the manifest icon; within that radiance appear subtle forms of many deities, while beings of all kinds are shown with a shared inner light, indicating sarvabhūtātman.

Characters & Entities

• Supreme Lord (implied)
• Sarvadevamaya
• Sarvabhūtātman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Divine is simultaneously transcendent (unmanifest, immeasurable) and intimate (the Self dwelling in all beings).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the verse functions as a universal doxology within the māhātmya narration.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicit devotional praise/recitation (stuti) as part of sacred narration and worship.