Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

ओंकारं सर्वदा न्यस्यन्नकारं पादयोर्द्वयोः । मोकारं गुह्यदेशे तु भकारं नाभिपंकजे

Transliteration

oṃkāraṃ sarvadā nyasyannakāraṃ pādayordvayoḥ | mokāraṃ guhyadeśe tu bhakāraṃ nābhipaṃkaje

Translation

ଓଂକାରଂ ସର୍ବଦା ନ୍ୟସେତ୍; ନକାରଂ ପାଦୟୋର୍ଦ୍ୱୟୋଃ। ମୋକାରଂ ଗୁହ୍ୟଦେଶେ ତୁ, ଭକାରଂ ନାଭିପଙ୍କଜେ ନ୍ୟସେତ୍।

Word by Word

• ओंकारम्: the syllable Oṃ
• ओंकारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kriyavisheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• न्यस्यन्: placing (having placed)
• न्यस्यन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √न्यस् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘placing’

• अकारम्: the syllable ‘a’
• अकारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पादयोः: in/on the two feet
• पादयोः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन (Genitive/Locative dual)

• द्वयोः: of the two
• द्वयोः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/सप्तमी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective) पादयोः

• मोकारम्: the syllable ‘mo’
• मोकारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गुह्यदेशे: in the secret region
• गुह्यदेशे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह्य + देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘गुह्यः देशः’

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• भकारम्: the syllable ‘bha’
• भकारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नाभिपङ्कजे: in the lotus of the navel
• नाभिपङ्कजे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि + पङ्कज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘नाभेः पङ्कजम्’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Skanda Purāṇa Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya teaching style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close view of a sādhaka’s body with luminous syllables: Oṃ as an aura; ‘na’ glowing at both feet; ‘mo’ as a subtle seal at the pelvic region; ‘bha’ as a lotus at the navel with the syllable inscribed.

Characters & Entities

• Oṃ
• Dvādaśākṣara (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity and steadiness in worship are cultivated by internalizing the mantra through nyāsa—making the body a consecrated seat of devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is within a Tīrthamāhātmya context, but this specific line focuses on mantra-nyāsa practice rather than naming a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Aṅga-nyāsa: placing specific mantra-syllables onto body locations (feet, navel, etc.) as part of daily practice.