Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

पाहि मां जगतां नाथ पाहि शंकर शाश्वत । पाहि रुद्र विरूपाक्ष पाहि मृत्युंजयाव्यय

Transliteration

pāhi māṃ jagatāṃ nātha pāhi śaṃkara śāśvata | pāhi rudra virūpākṣa pāhi mṛtyuṃjayāvyaya

Translation

Xin che chở con, hỡi Natha, Chúa tể muôn cõi; xin che chở con, hỡi Śaṅkara, Đấng vĩnh hằng. Xin che chở con, hỡi Rudra, hỡi Virūpākṣa, bậc Tam Nhãn; xin che chở con, hỡi Mṛtyuñjaya, Đấng bất hoại, bậc chiến thắng tử thần.

Word by Word

• पाहि: protect!
• पाहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पा (धातु; पालन-रक्षणयोः)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• जगताम्: of the worlds
• जगताम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नाथ: O lord
• नाथ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पाहि: protect!
• पाहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• शंकर: O Śaṅkara
• शंकर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• शाश्वत: O eternal one
• शाश्वत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; विशेषण (epithet)

• पाहि: protect!
• पाहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• रुद्र: O Rudra
• रुद्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• विरूपाक्ष: O one with strange/varied eyes
• विरूपाक्ष: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरूप + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समास (विरूपे अक्षिणी यस्य)

• पाहि: protect!
• पाहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• मृत्युंजय: O conqueror of death
• मृत्युंजय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु + जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (मृत्योः जयः/मृत्युं जयति इति)

• अव्यय: O imperishable one
• अव्यय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

King (Rājā) praying to Śiva (implicit)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The devotee-king pleads for protection; Śiva appears as Mṛtyuñjaya—holding triśūla and abhaya-mudrā—while a shadowy figure of Death recedes, broken by Śiva’s gaze.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Śaṅkara
• Rudra
• Virūpākṣa
• Mṛtyuñjaya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Taking refuge in Śiva—named as Śaṅkara, Rudra, and Mṛtyuñjaya—brings protection and fearlessness before death.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; it is a universal śaraṇāgati (refuge) prayer to Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied practice is repeated supplication/recitation (japa) of Śiva’s names for protection.