Shloka 6

Adhyaya 92 — Devi’s Assurance of Protection and the Fruits of Reciting the Devi Mahatmyam

Sanskrit

तस्मान्ममैन्माहात्म्यं पठितव्यं सहाहितैः ।

श्रोतव्यं च सदा भक्त्या परं स्वस्त्ययनं महत् ॥

Transliteration

tasmān mamaitad māhātmyaṃ paṭhitavyaṃ sahāhitaiḥ |

śrotavyaṃ ca sadā bhaktyā paraṃ svastyayanaṃ mahat ||

Translation

فلذلك ينبغي للمتنبّهين أن يتلوا هذا الماهاتميا الخاصّ بي، وأن يُصغى إليه دائمًا بتعبّد؛ لأنه الطقس الأسمى والعظيم للسفاستيَايَنا (svastyayana) من أجل السلامة والبركة.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/तस्मात्-प्रयोगः), अर्थे—‘अतः/तस्माद्’ (therefore)

• मम: of me / my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (singular), उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (1st person pronoun), Gender: —

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier) to ‘माहात्म्यम्’

• माहात्म्यम्: glory, sacred account
• माहात्म्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• पठितव्यम्: should be read
• पठितव्यम्: Vidhi (विधि/Obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोगः—‘to be read/should be read’

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (सहकारी/Accompaniment)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपसर्गसदृश/पूर्वपद-निपात), अर्थे—‘with’

• आहितैः: by the attentive (ones)
• आहितैः: Karana (करण/Instrumental)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; आ-धा (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine) / नपुंसक? (context: persons), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण—‘collected/attentive/with concentrated minds’

• श्रोतव्यम्: should be heard
• श्रोतव्यम्: Vidhi (विधि/Obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘should be listened to’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय-बोधक conjunction)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक adverb)

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (करण/Instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; साधन/भाव—‘with devotion’

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् to ‘स्वस्त्ययनम्’

• स्वस्त्ययनम्: auspicious benediction/rite
• स्वस्त्ययनम्: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वस्त्ययन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘auspicious rite/benediction’

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् to ‘स्वस्त्ययनम्’

Speakers

• Devī

Primary Deities

• Devī

Shakti Aspects

• Devī Māhātmyam as svastyayana (protective-auspicious liturgy)

Key Themes

• Scriptural recitation
• Śravaṇa (listening)
• Auspiciousness rites
• Bhakti discipline

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse elevates both recitation and listening as complete spiritual acts—affirming communal transmission (hearing) alongside personal practice (reading), and insisting on attentiveness rather than mechanical ritualism.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Dharma: a direct injunction (vidhi) regarding practice; it also reflects the Purāṇic role as a ‘svastyayana’ text used for welfare in society.

What is the esoteric significance?

Paṭha and śravaṇa correspond to vāk (speech) and śruti (hearing): aligning expression and receptivity. ‘Sahāhita’ implies that the true ‘protective rite’ is the steadied mind that receives the Devī’s presence.