Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

नमो लंबोदरायेति नमो गणविभो तथा । कुठारधारिणे नित्यं तथा वाक्संगताय च

Transliteration

namo laṃbodarāyeti namo gaṇavibho tathā | kuṭhāradhāriṇe nityaṃ tathā vāksaṃgatāya ca

Translation

ଲମ୍ବୋଦରଙ୍କୁ ନମସ୍କାର, ଗଣବିଭୁ ପ୍ରଭୁଙ୍କୁ ନମସ୍କାର। କୁଠାରଧାରୀଙ୍କୁ ନିତ୍ୟ ନମସ୍କାର, ଏବଂ ବାଣୀକୁ ସଙ୍ଗତି ଦେଇଥିବା ପ୍ରଭୁଙ୍କୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ନମସ୍କାର।

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Kriya (Salutation formula/क्रिया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; नमस्कारार्थक-निपातवत् प्रयोगः

• लम्बोदराय: to the pot-bellied one (Gaṇeśa)
• लम्बोदराय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लम्ब-उदर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (लम्बम् उदरं यस्य)

• इति: thus
• इति: Vacana-dyotaka (Quotation marker/वचनसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्ति-सूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Kriya (Salutation formula/क्रिया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नमस्कारार्थक

• गणविभो: O lord of the gaṇas
• गणविभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण-विभु (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गणानां विभुः)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अनुक्रम-अव्यय (also/likewise)

• कुठारधारिणे: to the axe-bearer
• कुठारधारिणे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुठार-धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; समासः उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (कुठारं धारयति इति)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: काल-अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverb: always)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अनुक्रम-अव्यय (also/likewise)

• वाक्संगताय: to the one endowed with (proper) speech/eloquence
• वाक्संगताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्-संगत (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (वाचा संगतः/संगतिः यस्य)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual purāṇic instruction within Nāgarakhaṇḍa; exact speaker not explicit in the snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gaṇeśa as Lambodara and Gaṇavibhu, holding an axe; devotees chanting ‘namo’ in a temple mandapa; a subtle motif of ordered letters/speech (akṣara-mālā) around him.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇeśa
• Lambodara
• Gaṇanātha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approach sacred undertakings by first honoring Gaṇeśa, the harmonizer of speech and remover of obstacles.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse occurs within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya setting; the snippet itself emphasizes Gaṇeśa-upāsanā rather than naming a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Chanting salutations (namas) to Gaṇeśa with specific epithets as part of worship.