Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 159

Devanagari script

त्वं हि लोकपतिर्देव न त्वां जानाति कश्चन । अहं ते वै विशालाक्ष भूतपूर्वपरिग्रहः

Transliteration

tvaṃ hi lokapatirdeva na tvāṃ jānāti kaścana | ahaṃ te vai viśālākṣa bhūtapūrvaparigrahaḥ

Translation

தேவா! நீயே உலகங்களின் அதிபதி; உன் உண்மை இயல்பை யாரும் முழுமையாக அறியார். விசாலாக்ஷா! நான் உன்னுடையவன்—பழங்காலம் முதலே ஏற்றுக்கொள்ளப்பட்ட உன் சேவகன்।

Word by Word

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (common gender usage), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle/emphasis)

• लोकपतिः: lord of the world
• लोकपतिः: Pradhana-predicative (सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative/8th), एकवचनम्

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधः (negation particle)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (common gender usage), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्

• जानाति: knows
• जानाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्

• कश्चन: anyone
• कश्चन: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चन (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अनिश्चित-प्रत्यययुक्तः (indefinite), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्

• ते: to you / for you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (Dative/4th), एकवचनम्

• वै: indeed
• वै: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (emphatic particle)

• विशालाक्ष: O large-eyed one
• विशालाक्ष: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाल (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिः (one who has large eyes), पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• भूतपूर्वपरिग्रहः: a former attendant/associate
• भूतपूर्वपरिग्रहः: Pradhana-predicative (सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + परिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (पूर्वे भूतः इति/earlier-existing), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Brahmā (pitāmaha), contextually addressing Viṣṇu

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā (Sarayū-tīra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience (not explicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā stands with folded hands before Rāma, eyes lowered in humility; devas behind him. Rāma remains serene, wide-eyed, radiating quiet authority; the river glimmers nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

God’s true greatness is beyond ordinary knowing; the devotee’s right response is humility and surrender.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā is the overarching sacred geography of this section (Ayodhyāmāhātmya).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse emphasizes theological praise and self-offering to the Lord.