Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

अंबिकां विबुधाः प्राहुस्त्र्यंबकाणि यतो द्विजाः । तस्मात्संकीर्त्यते लोके त्र्यंबकश्च सुरेश्वरः

Transliteration

aṃbikāṃ vibudhāḥ prāhustryaṃbakāṇi yato dvijāḥ | tasmātsaṃkīrtyate loke tryaṃbakaśca sureśvaraḥ

Translation

โอ้ทวิชะ เพราะเหล่าบัณฑิตเรียกอัมพิกาว่า “ตรียัมพกา” (ผู้มีสามเนตร) ฉะนั้นพระผู้เป็นใหญ่แห่งเทพทั้งปวงจึงเป็นที่สรรเสริญในโลกนามว่า “ตรียัมพกะ” ด้วย

Word by Word

• अम्बिकाम्: Ambikā (the goddess)
• अम्बिकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• विबुधाः: the gods/wise beings
• विबुधाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विबुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• प्राहुः: said/called
• प्राहुः: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह् (धातु; √अह्/आह् ‘to say’)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• त्र्यम्बकाणि: three eyes
• त्र्यम्बकाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि अम्बकानि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (हेतुवाचक) — ‘because/since’

• द्विजाः: O brāhmaṇas/twice-born
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Upasaṃhāra (Therefore)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तस्मात्-प्रयोगः, हेत्वर्थे) — ‘therefore/from that’

• संकीर्त्यते: is proclaimed/celebrated
• संकीर्त्यते: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन — locative

• त्र्यम्बकः: Tryambaka (three-eyed one)
• त्र्यम्बकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + अम्बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि अम्बकानि यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• सुरेश्वरः: lord of the gods
• सुरेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सुराणाम् ईश्वरः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic speaker, contextually within Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage-like narrator addresses the dvijas, explaining why Ambikā is called Tryambakā and thus why Śiva is famed as Tryambaka—an instructive, calm scene with subtle divine presence.

Characters & Entities

• Ambikā
• Tryambakā
• Tryambaka
• Sureśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine names preserve sacred history; ‘Tryambaka’ signifies transcendent vision—protective insight shared in Śiva-Śakti unity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse primarily glorifies the divine name ‘Tryambaka’; in tīrtha literature this often anchors pilgrimage remembrance to a Śaiva sacred locus associated with Tryambaka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, saṃkīrtana (devotional recitation/praise) of the name ‘Tryambaka’ is valorized; no formal rite is detailed.