Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

विष्णुरेव ब्रह्मरूपो ज्ञानयोगाश्रयः स्वयम् । सृजते सर्वभूतानि पालयत्यपि सर्वशः

Transliteration

viṣṇureva brahmarūpo jñānayogāśrayaḥ svayam | sṛjate sarvabhūtāni pālayatyapi sarvaśaḥ

Translation

വിഷ്ണുവേ ബ്രഹ്മരൂപൻ; അവൻ തന്നെയാണ് ജ്ഞാനയോഗത്തിന്റെ ആശ്രയം. അവൻ എല്ലാ ജീവികളെയും സൃഷ്ടിക്കുകയും എല്ലാതരത്തിലും പരിപാലിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു.

Word by Word

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: indeed, alone
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/बल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• ब्रह्मरूपः: having the form of Brahman
• ब्रह्मरूपः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (brahmaṇaḥ rūpam iti)

• ज्ञानयोगाश्रयः: the support/refuge of jñāna-yoga
• ज्ञानयोगाश्रयः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान + योग + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (jñānayogasya āśrayaḥ)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta-nirdeśa (agent-emphasis/कर्तृनिर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्वार्थे (reflexive adverb: 'by oneself')

• सृजते: creates
• सृजते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सर्वभूतानि: all beings
• सर्वभूतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (sarvāṇi bhūtāni)

• पालयति: protects, sustains
• पालयति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/बल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: 'also/even')

• सर्वशः: in every way, entirely
• सर्वशः: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu appears with a subtle Brahmā-aspect (creative potency) while extending protective gestures; beings emerge and are sheltered, illustrating creation and preservation.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Brahmā
• Jñānayoga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It affirms Viṣṇu’s supremacy and all-encompassing lordship as creator and protector, and upholds jñānayoga as grounded in him.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is mentioned in this verse; it provides theological framing within a tīrtha-focused discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual; it emphasizes taking refuge in knowledge-yoga and devotion to Viṣṇu.