Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

गच्छ विंध्याचले तत्र सुरकार्यं करिष्यति । अत्र शुंभनिशुंभौ च हत्वा तारकसैन्यपौ

Transliteration

gaccha viṃdhyācale tatra surakāryaṃ kariṣyati | atra śuṃbhaniśuṃbhau ca hatvā tārakasainyapau

Translation

হে দেবী, বিন্ধ্যাচলে গমন কর; সেখানে তুমি দেবকার্য সম্পন্ন করবে। এখানে শুম্ভ-নিশুম্ভ—তারকের সেনার সেনাপতি—নিধন করে…

Word by Word

• गच्छ: go
• गच्छ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• विंध्याचले: on/at the Vindhya mountain
• विंध्याचले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विंध्य + अचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Desha-adhikarana (Locative adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• सुरकार्यं: the gods' task
• सुरकार्यं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• करिष्यति: will do
• करिष्यति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Desha-adhikarana (Locative adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• शुंभनिशुंभौ: Śumbha and Niśumbha
• शुंभनिशुंभौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुंभ + निशुंभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual)

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

• हत्वा: having slain
• हत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action adjunct)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)

• तारकसैन्यपौ: the leaders of Tāraka's army
• तारकसैन्यपौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक + सैन्यप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual)

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vindhyācala / Vindhyavāsinī-kshetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/audience in the Purāṇic frame (not explicit here)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā or the devas dispatch the goddess toward the Vindhya mountain; the distant silhouette of Vindhyācala rises, with banners of the devas and the looming threat of Śumbha-Niśumbha and Tāraka’s forces implied.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Vindhyācala
• Śumbha
• Niśumbha
• Tāraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is protected through divine mission: Devī is directed to a specific sacred landscape to restore cosmic balance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vindhyācala (Mount Vindhya) is explicitly named as the destination where the divine work for the gods will be accomplished.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse contains a command and prophecy regarding Devī’s battle and movement to Vindhya.