Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

सर्वक्षेत्रनिवासाय क्षेत्रभिन्नात्मशक्तये । अशक्ताय नमस्तुभ्यं शक्ताभासाय भूयसे

Transliteration

sarvakṣetranivāsāya kṣetrabhinnātmaśaktaye | aśaktāya namastubhyaṃ śaktābhāsāya bhūyase

Translation

സകല ക്ഷേത്രങ്ങളിലും അധിവസിക്കുന്നവനേ, ക്ഷേത്രഭേദത്തിൽ വ്യത്യസ്ത ആത്മശക്തിയായി പ്രകാശിക്കുന്നവനേ, നമസ്കാരം. നീ സ്വയം നിർലിപ്തനായിരിക്കെ പോലും സർവ്വത്ര ശക്തിപ്രഭയായി പ്രത്യക്ഷനാകുന്നു—നിനക്ക് പുനഃപുനഃ പ്രണാമം.

Word by Word

• sarvakṣetranivāsāya: to the dweller in all fields
• sarvakṣetranivāsāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva + kṣetra + nivāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (sarva-kṣetra-nivāsa = dwelling in all fields/places)

• kṣetrabhinnātmaśaktaye: to the power whose self is distinct from the field
• kṣetrabhinnātmaśaktaye: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra + bhinna + ātman + śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (शक्ति), चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (kṣetra-bhinna-ātma-śakti = power whose self is distinct from the field)

• aśaktāya: to the powerless (unconditioned)
• aśaktāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- + śakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्यय (negation)

• namaḥ: salutations
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nam (धातु)
• Form: अव्यय; नमः-इति नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• tubhyam: to you
• tubhyam: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-परसर्वनाम (2nd person pronoun), चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• śaktābhāsāya: to the semblance of power
• śaktābhāsāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakta + ābhāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (śakta-ābhāsa = appearance/seeming of power)

• bhūyase: to the greater (more abundant)
• bhūyase: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūyas (प्रातिपदिक; comparative/indeclinable-like adjective used substantively)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; ‘भूयस्’ = greater/abundant (used as substantive: to the greater one)

Speaker

King (Rājā) praising Śiva (implicit)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarva-kṣetra (conceptual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A map-like sacred landscape with many shrines and bodies/figures, all connected by a single thread of light to a central, formless radiance—Śakti appearing as countless selves.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord is the indweller of all beings and all sacred spaces, appearing as diverse powers while remaining transcendent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified; the verse universalizes all kṣetras as pervaded by Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse supports worship through recognizing Śiva’s presence in all kṣetras and beings.