Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

शिरसा पूजितो देवः पूजितं सकलं जगत् । शिरसा धार्यते योगः शिरसा ध्रियते बलम्

Transliteration

śirasā pūjito devaḥ pūjitaṃ sakalaṃ jagat | śirasā dhāryate yogaḥ śirasā dhriyate balam

Translation

Quand la Divinité est honorée la tête inclinée, c’est comme si le monde entier était honoré. Par la tête le yoga est soutenu ; par la tête la force est maintenue.

Word by Word

• शिरसा: with/by the head
• शिरसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पूजितः: worshipped
• पूजितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) → पूजित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; देवः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• देवः: the god/deity
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पूजितम्: worshipped
• पूजितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) → पूजित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; जगत् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• सकलम्: entire
• सकलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; जगत् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• जगत्: world
• जगत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शिरसा: by the head
• शिरसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• धार्यते: is borne/sustained
• धार्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• योगः: yoga
• योगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शिरसा: by the head
• शिरसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• ध्रियते: is held/supported
• ध्रियते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim bows with folded hands and lowered head before a sanctum; the Deity’s presence radiates, suggesting that the single act of reverence encompasses the whole cosmos.

Characters & Entities

• Deva
• Yoga
• Bala (strength)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility and reverence (bowing the head) sanctify worship, and the ‘head’ symbolizes the sustaining seat of yogic steadiness and inner strength.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A devotional act is implied: worship with bowed head (śirasā)—i.e., namaskāra and reverent pūjā.