Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

तक्षक उवाच । भोभो नरेंद्रदायाद मा भैषीर्धीरतां व्रज । सर्वदेवेषु को देवो युष्माभिः पूज्यते सदा

Transliteration

takṣaka uvāca | bhobho nareṃdradāyāda mā bhaiṣīrdhīratāṃ vraja | sarvadeveṣu ko devo yuṣmābhiḥ pūjyate sadā

Translation

塔叉迦说道：“王之继嗣啊，莫要畏惧——当持坚忍。在诸神之中，你们恒常礼敬的是哪一位神？”

Word by Word

• तक्षकः: Takṣaka
• तक्षकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भो: O!
• भो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भो (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• भो: O!
• भो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भो (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (repetition)

• नरेन्द्रदायाद: O heir of the king
• नरेन्द्रदायाद: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेन्द्र (नर+इन्द्र, प्रातिपदिक) + दायाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (नरेन्द्रस्य दायादः = 'heir of the king')

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratishedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (prohibitive particle)

• भैषीः: fear
• भैषीः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भी (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; मा-योगे निषेधार्थे (prohibitive: 'do not fear')

• धीरताम्: steadfastness/courage
• धीरताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धीरता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गन्तव्य-क्रियायाः कर्म (acc. sg. 'steadfastness')

• व्रज: go/attain
• व्रज: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वदेवेषु: among all the gods
• सर्वदेवेषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (सर्वे देवाः)

• कः: who? which?
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• देवः: god
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• युष्माभिः: by you (plural)
• युष्माभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (instr. pl. 'by you all')

• पूज्यते: is worshipped
• पूज्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'always')

Speaker

Takṣaka

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (Inner) the prince (rājanandana)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Takṣaka addresses the prince with a calming gesture—hand raised in reassurance—then poses a pointed question about the deity of constant worship; the prince listens attentively.

Characters & Entities

• Takṣaka
• Rājaputra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Fearlessness and steadiness support right worship; clarity about one’s chosen deity (iṣṭa-devatā) anchors dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified; the verse centers on devotional allegiance rather than sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is prescribed; it asks about the regular object of worship.