Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

पाशांकुशाभयाभीष्टविल सत्सु चतुर्भुजाम् । अनेकरत्नविलसत्कंकणांकितमुद्रिकाम्

Transliteration

pāśāṃkuśābhayābhīṣṭavila satsu caturbhujām | anekaratnavilasatkaṃkaṇāṃkitamudrikām

Translation

Sie war vierarmig und trug spielerisch die Schlinge (pāśa), den Elefantenhaken (aṅkuśa), die Geste der Furchtlosigkeit und das Zeichen der Wunschgewährung; ihre Hände waren mit Armreifen und Ringen geschmückt, die von vielen Edelsteinen funkelten.

Word by Word

• पाश-अङ्कुश-अभय-अभीष्ट-विलसत्सु: in (her hands) where the noose, goad, fearlessness, and boon are shining
• पाश-अङ्कुश-अभय-अभीष्ट-विलसत्सु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्कुश (प्रातिपदिक) + अभय (प्रातिपदिक) + अभीष्ट (कृदन्त; √इष् (धातु) क्त; ‘इष्ट’ अर्थे) + विलसत् (कृदन्त; √लस् (धातु) शतृ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; ‘…विलसत्सु (हस्तेषु)’ इत्यर्थे (loc. pl.)

• चतुर्भुजाम्: four-armed
• चतुर्भुजाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (fem. acc. sg.)

• अनेक-रत्न-विलसत्-कङ्कण-अङ्कित-मुद्रिकाम्: wearing rings marked/ornamented with bracelets shining with many gems
• अनेक-रत्न-विलसत्-कङ्कण-अङ्कित-मुद्रिकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक) + रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + विलसत् (कृदन्त; √लस् शतृ) + कङ्कण (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्कित (कृदन्त; √अङ्क् (धातु) क्त) + मुद्रिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (fem. acc. sg.)

Speaker

Narratorial/ritual instruction voice within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa (context: dhyāna-śloka sequence)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Full-figure Devī, four-armed: one hand holding pāśa, one holding aṅkuśa, one in abhaya-mudrā, one in vara-mudrā; wrists heavy with gemmed bangles, fingers with rings catching light.

Characters & Entities

• Devī (Śivā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Devī is contemplated as both protector (abhaya) and granter of aims (abhīṣṭa), guiding the devotee from fear to fulfillment under dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; this is a dhyāna-portion of ritual instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditate on the Devī’s weapons and mudrās as part of the prescribed visualization before worship.