Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

चतस्रस्तु महाशक्त्यश्चतुर्दिक्षु व्यवस्थिताः । सिद्धांबिका तु पूर्वस्यां स्थापिता सा गुहेन च

Transliteration

catasrastu mahāśaktyaścaturdikṣu vyavasthitāḥ | siddhāṃbikā tu pūrvasyāṃ sthāpitā sā guhena ca

Translation

Vier große Śakti wurden in den vier Himmelsrichtungen aufgestellt. Unter ihnen wurde Siddhāmbikā im Osten eingesetzt, von Guha (Skanda) selbst dort gegründet.

Word by Word

• चतस्रः: four
• चतस्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतस् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• महाशक्त्यः: great powers (goddesses)
• महाशक्त्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाशक्ति (प्रातिपदिक); महा + शक्ति (समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• चतुर्दिक्षु: in the four directions
• चतुर्दिक्षु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + दिक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• व्यवस्थिताः: are stationed
• व्यवस्थिताः: Karta (Predicate participle/कर्तृसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अर्थे—स्थिताः (stationed)

• सिद्धाम्बिका: Siddhāmbikā
• सिद्धाम्बिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धा + अम्बिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषार्थक-अव्यय

• पूर्वस्याम्: in the east
• पूर्वस्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; दिक्-विशेषे (in the eastern direction)

• स्थापिता: was installed
• स्थापिता: Karta (Predicate participle/कर्तृसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थे—प्रतिष्ठिता (installed)

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

• गुहेन: by Guha (Kārttikeya)
• गुहेन: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह (प्रातिपदिक; देव-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating the Kaumārikā-khaṇḍa tradition

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Siddhāmbikā (eastern śakti-sthāna)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Skanda (Guha) performs a consecration in the eastern quarter, placing a Devi icon/yantra of Siddhāmbikā; three other Shaktis appear faintly in the remaining directions, forming a protective square/mandala around the kṣetra.

Characters & Entities

• Guha
• Skanda
• Siddhāmbikā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine order is upheld through Śakti; Skanda’s installation of powers in the directions teaches sacred guardianship of the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse emphasizes directional sanctification rather than naming a specific tīrtha; it frames a sacred-geography motif within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed; the verse is descriptive of divine स्थापना (installation).