Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

कुलमाता महाशक्तिस्तत्रास्ते नृपसत्तम । कुमारी ब्रह्मपुत्री सा रक्षार्थं विधिना कृता

Transliteration

kulamātā mahāśaktistatrāste nṛpasattama | kumārī brahmaputrī sā rakṣārthaṃ vidhinā kṛtā

Translation

O bester der Könige, dort weilt die Kulamātā, die Große Macht. Sie ist eine Kumārī, Tochter Brahmās, durch heilige Satzung zur Bewahrung und zum Schutz eingesetzt.

Word by Word

• कुलमाता: the clan-mother
• कुलमाता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुलमाता (प्रातिपदिक; कुल + माता)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महाशक्तिः: great power (goddess)
• महाशक्तिः: Apposition (समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाशक्ति (प्रातिपदिक; महा + शक्ति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• आस्ते: dwells, remains
• आस्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• नृपसत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपसत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; नृप + सत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुमारी: maiden, virgin goddess
• कुमारी: Apposition (समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मपुत्री: daughter of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मपुत्री: Apposition (समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मपुत्री (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्मन् + पुत्री)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रक्षार्थम्: for protection
• रक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षार्थ (प्रातिपदिक; रक्षा + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (used adverbially: ‘for the sake of’)

• विधिना: by ordinance/according to rule
• विधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• कृता: made, created
• कृता: Kartṛ-predicative (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator addressing a king

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kulamātā-sthāna (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpasattama (best of kings)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Great Power (Mahāśakti) abides in the shrine as a youthful Kumārī; priests perform installation rites; the king witnesses the protective mandate of the goddess.

Characters & Entities

• Kulamātā
• Mahāśakti
• Kumārī
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śakti is portrayed as an ordained guardian-power—installed not merely for worship, but for the protection and stability of society.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The phrase 'tatra' refers back to the Dharmāraṇya sacred setting where this Kulamātā is said to abide.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse states that she is 'kṛtā vidhinā'—established according to prescribed rite for the purpose of protection.