Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

व्रतोपवासनियमैः पत्नीभिः सह तस्थिवान् । आराधयद्भगवतीं चामुण्डां मुण्डमर्दिनीम्

Transliteration

vratopavāsaniyamaiḥ patnībhiḥ saha tasthivān | ārādhayadbhagavatīṃ cāmuṇḍāṃ muṇḍamardinīm

Translation

Zusammen mit seinen Königinnen verharrte er standhaft in Gelübden, Fasten und Zucht, und verehrte die selige Göttin Cāmuṇḍā, die Bezwingerin des Muṇḍa.

Word by Word

• व्रतोपवासनियमैः: with vows, fasts, and observances
• व्रतोपवासनियमैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक) + upavāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + niyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (व्रतं च उपवासः च नियमः च); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• पत्नीभिः: with (his) wives
• पत्नीभिः: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahārtha (Accompaniment marker/सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सह-सम्बन्ध/particle): 'together with'

• तस्थिवान्: remained, stayed
• तस्थिवान्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु) → tasthivān (कृदन्त)
• Form: लिट् (perfect) कृदन्त-रूप (क्वसु/वसुः-प्रत्यय, परस्मैपद-परिणाम), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (he stood/remained)

• आराधयत्: worshipped, propitiated
• आराधयत्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-rādh (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्ग: आ

• भगवतीम्: the Blessed Goddess
• भगवतीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चामुण्डाम्: Cāmuṇḍā
• चामुण्डाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cāmuṇḍā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मुण्डमर्दिनीम्: the slayer of Muṇḍa
• मुण्डमर्दिनीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + mardinī (प्रातिपदिक; from mṛd/मर्द्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/उपपद-भाव): मुण्डान् मर्दयतीति; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Āvantya Khaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Cāmuṇḍā-sthāna (implied within Revā-khaṇḍa narrative)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king and multiple queens stand before a fierce yet compassionate Cāmuṇḍā image; they observe fasting and strict rules, offering lamps, flowers, and bali-like symbolic offerings; the Devī’s presence is protective, intense, and transformative.

Characters & Entities

• Cāmuṇḍā
• Muṇḍa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion becomes stronger when sustained by disciplined living—vrata, fasting, and niyama—undertaken with collective family support.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Revā Khaṇḍa frames the sanctity of the Narmadā corridor; this verse highlights Devi-upāsanā rather than a named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vrata (vows), upavāsa (fasting), and niyama (regulated observances) performed while propitiating Goddess Cāmuṇḍā.