Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

तत्रास्त्येका महागौरी नाम्ना विजयभैरवी । रक्षार्थमुत्तराद्वारि स्थिता पूज्येष्टसिद्धये

Transliteration

tatrāstyekā mahāgaurī nāmnā vijayabhairavī | rakṣārthamuttarādvāri sthitā pūjyeṣṭasiddhaye

Translation

Dort ist eine einzige Gestalt der Mahāgaurī, mit Namen Vijayabhairavī. Zum Schutz am nördlichen Tor aufgestellt, soll sie verehrt werden, damit die ersehnten Ziele sich erfüllen.

Word by Word

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

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• एका: one
• एका: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• महागौरी: Mahāgaurī
• महागौरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः महती गौरी (कर्मधारयः)

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विजयभैरवी: Vijayabhairavī
• विजयभैरवी: Apposition (नाम-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजय + भैरवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः विजय-भैरवी (विशेषण-विशेष्यभावः/कर्मधारयः)

• रक्षार्थम्: for protection
• रक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रक्षा + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; ‘रक्षायै’ इत्यर्थे (for protection)

• उत्तराद्वारि: at the northern gate
• उत्तराद्वारि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर + द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः उत्तरस्य द्वारम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• स्थिता: standing/posted
• स्थिता: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्था (धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूज्य: for worship-worthy (aim)
• पूज्य: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √पूज् (धातु) यत्-प्रत्यय
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्/gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन (सिद्धये इत्यस्य विशेषण-पूर्वपदभावः)

• इष्ट: desired
• इष्ट: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √इष् (धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (सिद्धये इत्यस्य विशेषण-पूर्वपदभावः)

• सिद्धये: for attainment/success
• सिद्धये: Sampradana (Recipient/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda instructing Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vijayabhairavī (Mahāgaurī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kāśī-māhātmya audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Kāśī’s northern gateway stands Vijayabhairavī—radiant Mahāgaurī with protective stance, weapons and lotus, blessing pilgrims; the gate arch frames her as a sentinel while the city’s sacred lanes extend behind.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāgaurī
• Vijayabhairavī
• Uttaradvāra (northern gate)
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s sanctity is guarded by the Devī as well as Śiva; worship of the protective Goddess aligns devotion with safety and success in righteous aims.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The shrine/form of Mahāgaurī called Vijayabhairavī, positioned at Kāśī’s northern gateway (uttaradvāra).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā (worship) of Vijayabhairavī for rakṣā (protection) and iṣṭa-siddhi (fulfillment of desired goals).