Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

स्कन्धे च भगवान्ब्रह्मा मस्तकस्थः सदाशिवः । हृद्देशे च स्थितो विष्णुः पुच्छाग्रे पन्नगास्तथा

Transliteration

skandhe ca bhagavānbrahmā mastakasthaḥ sadāśivaḥ | hṛddeśe ca sthito viṣṇuḥ pucchāgre pannagāstathā

Translation

ତୁମ ସ୍କନ୍ଧରେ ଭଗବାନ ବ୍ରହ୍ମା ଅବସ୍ଥିତ; ତୁମ ମସ୍ତକରେ ସଦାଶିବ ବିରାଜିତ। ତୁମ ହୃଦୟଦେଶରେ ବିଷ୍ଣୁ ବସନ୍ତି, ଏବଂ ତୁମ ପୁଚ୍ଛାଗ୍ରରେ ପନ୍ନଗମାନେ ଅଛନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• स्कन्धे: in the shoulder
• स्कन्धे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

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

• भगवान्: the venerable/lordly
• भगवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• मस्तकस्थः: situated on the head
• मस्तकस्थः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त; √स्था धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘मस्तके स्थितः’ इति; कृदन्त-प्रत्यय: क (स्थ)

• सदाशिवः: Sadāśiva
• सदाशिवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदा (अव्यय) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘सदा शिवः’ (ever-auspicious)

• हृद्देशे: in the region of the heart
• हृद्देशे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक) + देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘हृदयस्य देशे’

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

• स्थितः: situated
• स्थितः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle)

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

• पुच्छाग्रे: at the tip of the tail
• पुच्छाग्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुच्छ (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘पुच्छस्य अग्रे’

• पन्नगाः: serpents
• पन्नगाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (thus/also)

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual stuti within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya; likely a devotee/sage praising Devī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic bovine/Devī with Brahmā seated on the shoulder, Sadāśiva enthroned at the head with crescent and matted locks, Viṣṇu glowing in the heart-lotus, and nāgas coiling at the tail-tip like guardians.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Sadāśiva
• Viṣṇu
• Nāgas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Goddess is the integrating ground of the Trimūrti and all beings; sectarian powers are harmonized within her.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named in the verse; it serves the chapter’s devotional framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is theological praise.