Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

हृदयेशः स्वयं विष्णुर्जपेद्देवं महेश्वरम् । गन्धर्वाप्सरसश्चैव मरुतो मारुतास्तथा

Transliteration

hṛdayeśaḥ svayaṃ viṣṇurjapeddevaṃ maheśvaram | gandharvāpsarasaścaiva maruto mārutāstathā

Translation

ହୃଦୟରେ ବିରାଜିତ ସ୍ୱୟଂ ବିଷ୍ଣୁ ଦେବ ମହେଶ୍ୱରଙ୍କୁ ଜପ କରନ୍ତି। ସେହିପରି ଗନ୍ଧର୍ବ, ଅପ୍ସରା ଏବଂ ମରୁତ୍—ବାୟୁଦେବତାମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ (ଜପ କରନ୍ତି)।

Word by Word

• हृदयेशः: the Lord of the heart
• हृदयेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्वार्थक-अव्ययम् (reflexive/emphatic particle)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्

• महेश्वरम्: Maheśvara (the Great Lord)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मह + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्

• गन्धर्व: Gandharvas
• गन्धर्व: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम् (समुच्चय-गणना)

• अप्सरसः: Apsarases
• अप्सरसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम् (समुच्चय-गणना)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्ययम् (emphatic particle)

• मरुतः: the Maruts
• मरुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम्

• मारुताः: the wind-gods (Marutas)
• मारुताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम्

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: likewise)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced for Āvantya Khaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (Śiva-centered)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visionary scene: Viṣṇu seated in yogic posture with a subtle heart-lotus glow, chanting Maheśvara’s name; around him Gandharvas and Apsarases sing, while Maruts swirl as gentle winds, all oriented toward an unseen Śiva-presence.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Gandharva
• Apsaras
• Marut

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Supreme devotion transcends sectarian boundaries: even Viṣṇu and the celestial hosts honor Śiva through japa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same ‘parama tīrtha’ context of Revākhaṇḍa, whose sanctity is underscored by the presence and worship of divine beings.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa—repetition/chanting of Maheśvara’s name or mantra.