Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

महामुंडा ततो देवी समुत्पन्नाघहारिणी । खट्वांगं च धृतं तत्र खट्वांगेशस्ततोभवत्

Transliteration

mahāmuṃḍā tato devī samutpannāghahāriṇī | khaṭvāṃgaṃ ca dhṛtaṃ tatra khaṭvāṃgeśastatobhavat

Translation

Daraufhin offenbarte sich dort die Göttin Mahāmuṇḍā, die Sünden tilgt. Und dort wurde der khaṭvāṅga (schädelbekrönter Stab) gehalten; daher wurde der Herr als Khaṭvāṅgeśa bekannt.

Word by Word

• महामुण्डा: Mahāmuṇḍā (name)
• महामुण्डा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā + मुण्डा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महती मुण्डा)

• ततः: then/from there
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तसिल्)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (from there/then)

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• समुत्पन्ना: arisen/manifested
• समुत्पन्ना: Karta (Predicate complement/कर्तृसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + उत् + पन्न (कृदन्त; √पद्/√पद्-गत्यर्थ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (arisen)

• अघहारिणी: remover of sin
• अघहारिणी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अघ + हारिणी (प्रातिपदिक; √हृ धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (अघं हरति)

• खट्वाङ्गम्: a khaṭvāṅga (club/staff)
• खट्वाङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खट्वाङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• धृतम्: was held
• धृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृत (कृदन्त; √धृ धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (held)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: स्थानवाचक अव्यय

• खट्वाङ्गेशः: Khaṭvāṅgeśa (lord named thus)
• खट्वाङ्गेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खट्वाङ्ग + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (खट्वाङ्गस्य ईशः)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तसिल्)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (then)

• अभवत्: came to be
• अभवत्: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahāmuṇḍā-sthāna; Khaṭvāṅgeśa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The goddess Mahāmuṇḍā emerges in a radiant yet fierce epiphany near a sacred spot; nearby stands Śiva as Khaṭvāṅgeśa holding a skull-topped staff; devotees witness with awe; the setting hints at cremation-ground sanctity transformed into protective grace.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Mahāmuṇḍā Devī
• Khaṭvāṅgeśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine presence in Kāśī is expressed through manifesting forms and symbols that remove sin and establish sacred names.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The locale associated with Mahāmuṇḍā Devī and Khaṭvāṅgeśa in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is commanded here; the verse provides a sacred origin (māhātmya) and naming rationale.