Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

महेश्वरः पातु दिनादियामे मां मध्ययामेऽवतु वामदेवः । त्रियंबकः पातु तृतीययामे वृषध्वजः पातु दिनांत्ययामे

Transliteration

maheśvaraḥ pātu dinādiyāme māṃ madhyayāme'vatu vāmadevaḥ | triyaṃbakaḥ pātu tṛtīyayāme vṛṣadhvajaḥ pātu dināṃtyayāme

Translation

ขอให้พระมหेशวรคุ้มครองข้าพเจ้าในยามแรกแห่งวัน; ขอให้พระวามเทวะพิทักษ์ในยามเที่ยง. ขอให้พระตรียัมพกะคุ้มครองในยามที่สาม; และขอให้พระวฤษธวัชะคุ้มครองในยามสุดท้ายแห่งวัน.

Word by Word

• महेश्वरः: Maheshvara (the Great Lord)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् ईश्वरः)

• पातु: may protect
• पातु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दिनादियामे: in the first watch of the day
• दिनादियामे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (दिनस्य आदिः यामः)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मध्ययामे: in the middle watch
• मध्ययामे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मध्यः यामः)

• अवतु: may protect
• अवतु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वामदेवः: Vāmadeva
• वामदेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

• त्रियंबकः: Tryambaka (three-eyed)
• त्रियंबकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; द्विगु/बहुव्रीह्यर्थे रूढिः (त्रीणि अम्बकानि यस्य)

• पातु: may protect
• पातु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तृतीययामे: in the third watch
• तृतीययामे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक) + याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तृतीयः यामः)

• वृषध्वजः: he whose banner is the bull
• वृषध्वजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वृषः ध्वजः यस्य/वृषध्वजः)

• पातु: may protect
• पातु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दिनांत्ययामे: in the last watch of the day
• दिनांत्ययामे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त्य (प्रातिपदिक) + याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (दिनस्य अन्त्यः यामः)

Speaker

Unknown (Śiva-kavaca voice)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A four-panel temporal tableau: Maheśvara at dawn, Vāmadeva at midday, Tryambaka in the third watch, Vṛṣadhvaja at sunset—each with distinct sky colors and Śaiva emblems.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara
• Vāmadeva
• Tryambaka
• Vṛṣadhvaja

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s guardianship is invoked across time itself, teaching continual remembrance through the rhythms of the day.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is mentioned; the emphasis is on protection across the day’s yāmas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied timed remembrance—mentally invoking Śiva’s names at different parts of the day.