Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

पशूनां पतये चापि पावकायातितेजसे । भीमाय व्योमरूपाय शब्दमात्राय ते नमः

Transliteration

paśūnāṃ pataye cāpi pāvakāyātitejase | bhīmāya vyomarūpāya śabdamātrāya te namaḥ

Translation

礼敬牧主（Paśupati），众生之主；亦礼敬汝为火焰，光辉超绝。礼敬怖畏者（Bhīma），其形为虚空，乃声之微妙精髓。

Word by Word

• पशूनाम्: of animals, of beasts
• पशूनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• पतये: to the lord
• पतये: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/and)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle: also/even)

• पावकाय: to Fire (Pāvaka)
• पावकाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• अतितेजसे: to the exceedingly radiant one
• अतितेजसे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतितेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (तेजस्-शब्द), चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the deity)

• भीमाय: to the terrible one
• भीमाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• व्योमरूपाय: to the one whose form is the sky
• व्योमरूपाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्योम + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (व्योम्नः रूपम्)

• शब्दमात्राय: to the one who is mere sound
• शब्दमात्राय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शब्द + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शब्द एव मात्रम्)

• ते: to you/your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Prayojana (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग)
• Form: निपातवत् अव्ययप्रयोग (indeclinable interjection of salutation)

Speaker

A Pāṇḍava (embedded devotee) praising Śiva

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā’s hymn-like salutations visualized as Śiva’s forms: Paśupati with gentle yet sovereign gaze; a column of surpassing fire; Bhīma as vast sky; subtle sound as luminous mantra-ripples around the liṅga.

Characters & Entities

• Paśupati
• Pāvaka (fire)
• Bhīma
• Vyoma (space)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is both the ruler of all beings and the subtle ground of the elements and senses—worship expands into cosmic awareness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of the Mahī-nagara liṅga stuti within the chapter’s tīrtha narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Stuti through repeated salutations, contemplating Śiva as Paśupati and as elemental principles.