Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

अष्टदिक्ष्वष्टकीलांश्च निखन्यैव ससूत्रकान् । कृष्णाजिनधरो भूत्वा बर्बरीकसमन्वितः

Transliteration

aṣṭadikṣvaṣṭakīlāṃśca nikhanyaiva sasūtrakān | kṛṣṇājinadharo bhūtvā barbarīkasamanvitaḥ

Translation

In den acht Himmelsrichtungen schlug er acht Pflöcke ein, jeden mit Fäden umwunden. In schwarzes Antilopenfell gekleidet und von Barbarīka begleitet, schritt er im Ritus fort.

Word by Word

• अष्टदिक्षु: in the eight directions
• अष्टदिक्षु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट + दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन; समासः द्विगु (अष्ट दिशः)

• अष्टकीलान्: eight pegs
• अष्टकीलान्: कर्म (Karman/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट + कील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन; समासः द्विगु (अष्ट कीलाः)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• निखन्य: having buried/dug in
• निखन्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + खन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-लोपयुक्त ल्यप्/तुमुन्-सम्भाव्य; व्यवहारतः अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund sense): 'having dug in/buried' (पाठ: निखन्य)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (emphatic)

• ससूत्रकान्: together with cords/threads
• ससूत्रकान्: विशेषण (Qualifier of कीलान्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + सूत्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन; समासः उपपद-तत्पुरुषः/सह-समासः (सूत्रकैः सह)

• कृष्णाजिनधरः: wearing a black antelope skin
• कृष्णाजिनधरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण + अजिन + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (कृष्णम् अजिनम् धरति)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• बर्बरीकसमन्वितः: accompanied by Barbarīka
• बर्बरीकसमन्वितः: विशेषण (Qualifier of implied subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बर्बरीक + समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; समासः तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (बर्बरीकेन समन्वितः = accompanied by Barbarīka)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Siddhāmbikā-sthāna

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Around the maṇḍala, eight pegs are driven into the ground in the eight directions and laced with threads; the sādhaka wears a black antelope-skin; Barbarīka stands nearby as attendant/guard.

Characters & Entities

• Eight directions (aṣṭadik)
• Eight pegs (kīla)
• Kṛṣṇājina
• Barbarīka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual power is approached with restraint and protection—outer order mirrors inner concentration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ritual action continues at Siddhāmbikā’s Kāśī setting, portraying it as a siddhi-bestowing arena.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Setting boundary markers: eight pegs in eight directions with thread/cord arrangement; wearing kṛṣṇājina during the rite.