Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 103

Devanagari script

गणोऽहं देवदेवस्य त्रिनेत्रस्य महात्मनः । पालकेति च विख्यातो गणकोटिप्रभुः स्थितः

Transliteration

gaṇo'haṃ devadevasya trinetrasya mahātmanaḥ | pālaketi ca vikhyāto gaṇakoṭiprabhuḥ sthitaḥ

Translation

ഞാൻ ദേവദേവനായ മഹാത്മ ത്രിനേത്രപ്രഭുവിന്റെ ഗണമാണ്; ‘പാലക’ എന്ന പേരിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധനായി, കോടിക്കണക്കിന് ഗണങ്ങളുടെ അധിപനായി നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു.

Word by Word

• गणः: attendant, gaṇa
• गणः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject, apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• देवदेवस्य: of the God of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां देवः); पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• त्रिनेत्रस्य: of the three-eyed (one)
• त्रिनेत्रस्य: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of devadeva)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगुसमास (त्रीणि नेत्राणि यस्य); पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled
• महात्मनः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of devadeva)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास; पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• पालक: Protector (as a name)
• पालक: Predicate nominative (Name)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन (नामरूपेण)

• इति: thus
• इति: Quotation marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यर्थक निपात (quotative)

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• विख्यातः: renowned, known
• विख्यातः: Karta (Subject, predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ख्या (धातु) → विख्यात (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गणकोटिप्रभुः: lord of crores of gaṇas
• गणकोटिप्रभुः: Karta (Subject, apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (गणानां कोटीनां प्रभुः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्थितः: standing, remaining
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Pālaka (a Śaiva gaṇa), speaking to the sage

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Gālava

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A figure (or transformed being) declares his true identity as Pālaka, commander of countless gaṇas; behind him, a visionary backdrop shows the Three-eyed Śiva with gaṇas in attendance, suggesting hidden divinity beneath the curse.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Trinetra)
• Pālaka
• gaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even exalted beings in divine service must uphold self-control; status does not exempt one from dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it introduces the speaker’s Śaiva identity within a Tīrthamāhātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is self-identification (ātma-paricaya) of a Śiva-gaṇa.