Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

सर्वस्य सिद्धिरूपेण त्वं जनस्य हृदि स्थिता । वाचारूपेण जिह्वायां ज्योतीरूपेण चक्षुषि

Transliteration

sarvasya siddhirūpeṇa tvaṃ janasya hṛdi sthitā | vācārūpeṇa jihvāyāṃ jyotīrūpeṇa cakṣuṣi

Translation

നീ സിദ്ധിരൂപമായി എല്ലാവരുടെയും ഹൃദയത്തിൽ നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു; വാക്രൂപമായി നാവിൽ, ജ്യോതിരൂപമായി കണ്ണുകളിൽ പ്രകാശിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• sarvasya: of all
• sarvasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of all)

• siddhi-rūpeṇa: in the form of accomplishment/success
• siddhi-rūpeṇa: Karana (Mode/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siddhi (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सिद्धेः रूपम्) — instrumental of manner/form

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• janasya: of people/of a person
• janasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of people/of a person)

• hṛdi: in the heart
• hṛdi: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• sthitā: abiding/established
• sthitā: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘स्थिताऽसि’ इत्यर्थे (standing/abiding)

• vācā-rūpeṇa: in the form of speech
• vācā-rūpeṇa: Karana (Mode/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वाचः रूपम्) — instrumental

• jihvāyām: on/in the tongue
• jihvāyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jihvā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• jyotiḥ-rūpeṇa: in the form of light
• jyotiḥ-rūpeṇa: Karana (Mode/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyotis (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ज्योतिषः रूपम्) — instrumental

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक)

• cakṣuṣi: in the eye
• cakṣuṣi: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakṣus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

Speaker

Mahīpati (king) offering a stuti to Goddess Bhāratī/Sarasvatī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic tableau: Devī’s presence radiates into three focal points—heart (lotus), tongue (mantra/syllables), and eyes (light rays)—while the king chants in awe.

Characters & Entities

• Devī (Bhāratī/Sarasvatī)
• Vāc (speech)
• Siddhi (accomplishment)
• Jyotis (light)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Goddess is not distant—she manifests as our capacity for insight, speech, and luminous perception.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs within a Sarasvatī tīrtha māhātmya context in Nāgarakhaṇḍa, where worship reveals the Goddess’s immanence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Devotional contemplation (stuti) of Sarasvatī as vāc (speech) and inner light, supporting japa, study, and worship.