Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

साकिनी डाकिनी रौद्रा नवदुर्गास्तथैव च । योगिन्यो यातुदान्यश्च तथा कूष्मांडकादयः । नेदुः पपुः शोणितं च बुभुजुः पिशितं बहु

Transliteration

sākinī ḍākinī raudrā navadurgāstathaiva ca | yoginyo yātudānyaśca tathā kūṣmāṃḍakādayaḥ | neduḥ papuḥ śoṇitaṃ ca bubhujuḥ piśitaṃ bahu

Translation

সাকিনী, ডাকিনী, রৌদ্রা ও নবদুর্গাগণ; যোগিনী, যাতুধানী এবং কূষ্মাণ্ড প্রভৃতি দল—গর্জে উঠল, রক্ত পান করল এবং প্রচুর মাংস ভক্ষণ করল।

Word by Word

• साकिनी: Sākinī
• साकिनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साकिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (class-name used as member)

• डाकिनी: Ḍākinī
• डाकिनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: डाकिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• रौद्राः: Raudrās (fierce ones)
• रौद्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• नवदुर्गाः: the nine Durgās
• नवदुर्गाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नव (संख्या) + दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘also/likewise’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Viśeṣaṇa (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

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

• योगिन्यः: yoginīs
• योगिन्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• यातुदान्यः: yātudhānīs (female demons)
• यातुदान्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यातुदानी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

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

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘also’

• कूष्मांडकादयः: Kūṣmāṇḍakas and the rest
• कूष्मांडकादयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूष्माण्डक (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural; ‘Kūṣmāṇḍakas and others’

• नेदुः: roared/cried out
• नेदुः: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; parasmaipada

• पपुः: drank
• पपुः: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; parasmaipada

• शोणितम्: blood
• शोणितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोणित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

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

• बुभुजुः: ate/enjoyed
• बुभुजुः: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; parasmaipada

• पिशितम्: flesh
• पिशितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• बहु: much
• बहु: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; विशेषण

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A terrifying chorus: sākinīs and ḍākinīs, raudra yoginīs, the Nine Durgās, yātudhānīs, and kūṣmāṇḍa hosts roar in unison; a night-like battlefield lit by astras, their forms arranged like a moving mandala of fierce protection.

Characters & Entities

• Sākinī
• Ḍākinī
• Raudrāḥ
• Navadurgāḥ
• Yoginīs
• Yātudhānīs
• Kūṣmāṇḍas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Fierce divine energies are shown as guardians of cosmic order; their terribleness signifies the removal of deep-rooted adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse appears in Kedārakhaṇḍa (Kedāra sacred region); it emphasizes the retinue of power surrounding Śaiva tīrthas rather than naming a single spot.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.