Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 95

Devanagari script

साक्षी विश्वस्य बीजं त्वं ब्रह्मांडवशकारकः । उत्पद्यंते विलीयंते त्वयि ब्रह्मांडकोटयः

Transliteration

sākṣī viśvasya bījaṃ tvaṃ brahmāṃḍavaśakārakaḥ | utpadyaṃte vilīyaṃte tvayi brahmāṃḍakoṭayaḥ

Translation

നീ വിശ്വത്തിന്റെ സാക്ഷി; അതിന്റെ ബീജവും നീ; ബ്രഹ്മാണ്ഡങ്ങളെ വശപ്പെടുത്തുന്ന അധിപതിയും നീ. നിനക്കുള്ളിൽ അനന്ത കോടി ബ്രഹ്മാണ്ഡങ്ങൾ ഉദിച്ച്, നിനക്കുള്ളിൽ തന്നെ ലയിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• साक्षी: witness
• साक्षी: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative, singular)

• विश्वस्य: of the universe
• विश्वस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (neuter, genitive, singular)

• बीजम्: seed, source
• बीजम्: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nom/acc, singular)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन (pronoun, nominative, singular)

• ब्रह्माण्ड: cosmic egg, universe
• ब्रह्माण्ड: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier in compound/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + अण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ब्रह्मणः अण्डम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter stem used in compound)

• वशकारकः: one who brings under control
• वशकारकः: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वशं करोति इति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative, singular)

• उत्पद्यन्ते: are produced, arise
• उत्पद्यन्ते: Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + पद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद (present, 3rd plural, ātmanepada)

• विलीयन्ते: dissolve, merge
• विलीयन्ते: Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ली (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद (present, 3rd plural, ātmanepada)

• त्वयि: in you
• त्वयि: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, सप्तमी, एकवचन (pronoun, locative, singular)

• ब्रह्माण्डकोटयः: crores of universes
• ब्रह्माण्डकोटयः: Karta (Subject of verbs/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माण्ड + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्माण्डानां कोटयः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (feminine, nominative, plural)

Speaker

Nārada (within Brahma–Nārada dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast cosmic tableau: the deity as luminous center, with multiple brahmāṇḍa-ovals (cosmic eggs) orbiting or dissolving into Him; a sage/devotee stands in awe, hands folded.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme is the inner witness and the ultimate ground in which all creation and dissolution occur.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This praise occurs in the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya section of the Nāgara Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; it is a theological praise emphasizing contemplation of the Supreme.