Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

सर्वेषामेव भूतानां हरिर्नित्यं हृदि स्थितः । स एव हि पराभूतो यो भूतद्रोहकारकः

Transliteration

sarveṣāmeva bhūtānāṃ harirnityaṃ hṛdi sthitaḥ | sa eva hi parābhūto yo bhūtadrohakārakaḥ

Translation

എല്ലാ ജീവികളുടെയും ഹൃദയത്തിൽ ഹരി നിത്യമായി വസിക്കുന്നു. ജീവികളെ ദ്രോഹിക്കുന്നവൻ തന്നെയാണ് യഥാർത്ഥത്തിൽ പരാജിതൻ—അന്തർവാസിയായ പ്രഭുവിനെ അപമാനിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (भूतानाम् इति विशेष्ये) Genitive plural

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• भूतानाम्: of living beings
• भूतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोग (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-द्वितीया एकवचन); adverbial accusative

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• स्थितः: situated, abiding
• स्थितः: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Past passive participle used predicatively

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun nominative singular

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• पराभूतः: is defeated
• पराभूतः: Vidhi (Predicate adjective/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराभू (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘defeated/overcome’

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Relative pronoun nominative singular

• भूतद्रोहकारकः: one who causes harm to beings
• भूतद्रोहकारकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रोह (प्रातिपदिक) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भूतानां द्रोहं करोति इति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Brahmā (inferred from chapter colophon context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visionary depiction of Hari as a subtle presence within the hearts of humans and animals; a would-be aggressor is shown ‘defeated’ by conscience and divine witness.

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Bhūta (living beings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Because Hari dwells within all, harming beings is spiritually self-defeating and contradicts devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya discourse in Nāgara-khaṇḍa, tying tīrtha life to universal compassion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoid bhūta-droha (injury to beings) as a core ethical rule, especially during vrata observances like Cāturmāsya.