Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 96

Devanagari script

मातृभिश्चंडिकाद्याभिरुत्तरद्वारमाश्रिता । विश्वावसुश्चित्ररथश्चित्रसेनो महाबलः

Transliteration

mātṛbhiścaṃḍikādyābhiruttaradvāramāśritā | viśvāvasuścitrarathaścitraseno mahābalaḥ

Translation

উত্তরদ্বারে চণ্ডিকা প্রভৃতি মাতৃগণ অবস্থান করেন; সেখানেই বিশ্বাবসু, চিত্ররথ এবং মহাবলী চিত্রসেনও উপস্থিত আছেন।

Word by Word

• मातृभिः: with the Mothers (Mātṛs)
• मातृभिः: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• चण्डिकाद्याभिः: with (those) beginning with Caṇḍikā
• चण्डिकाद्याभिः: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डिका-आदि (प्रातिपदिक: चण्डिका + आदि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (आदि-समास: 'beginning with')

• उत्तरद्वारम्: the northern gate
• उत्तरद्वारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर-द्वार (प्रातिपदिक: उत्तर + द्वार)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आश्रिता: stationed at; having resorted to
• आश्रिता: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + श्रि (धातु) → आश्रित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• विश्वावसुः: Viśvāvasu (a Gandharva)
• विश्वावसुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व-आवसु (प्रातिपदिक: विश्व + आवसु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चित्ररथः: Citraratha
• चित्ररथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र-रथ (प्रातिपदिक: चित्र + रथ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चित्रसेनः: Citrasena
• चित्रसेनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र-सेन (प्रातिपदिक: चित्र + सेन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महाबलः: mighty; of great strength
• महाबलः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-बल (प्रातिपदिक: महा + बल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Deductive: Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to sages

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Uttaradvāra with Mātr̥kā-gaṇa (symbolic)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the northern gate, fierce-yet-auspicious Mothers led by Caṇḍikā stand with weapons and protective gestures; nearby Gandharvas—Viśvāvasu and Citraratha—hold vīṇā and sing, while Citrasena stands as a strong guardian; all oriented toward the inner sanctum.

Characters & Entities

• Mātṛs
• Caṇḍikā
• Viśvāvasu
• Citraratha
• Citrasena

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s realm is safeguarded and sanctified by Śakti’s powers (the Mātṛs) and harmonized by celestial arts (Gandharvas).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the verse highlights the protective sacred geometry (north gate) of the divine abode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it implies reverence toward the Mātṛkās and devotional worship in Śaiva-Śākta practice.