Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

आह्वयामास विश्वेशां परां शक्तिमनुत्तमाम् । आहूता परमा शक्तिर्जगाम हरसंनिधिम्

Transliteration

āhvayāmāsa viśveśāṃ parāṃ śaktimanuttamām | āhūtā paramā śaktirjagāma harasaṃnidhim

Translation

Er rief die höchste, unvergleichliche Kraft des Herrn des Alls herbei; und auf den Ruf hin kam die erhabenste Śakti in Haras Gegenwart.

Word by Word

• आह्वयामास: called, invoked
• आह्वयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आह्वय् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; धातु: आह्वय् (आ + √ह्वे/ह्वय्)

• विश्वेशाम्: the Lady of the universe (Viśveśā)
• विश्वेशाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समास: विश्वस्य ईशा (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• पराम्: supreme
• पराम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• शक्तिम्: Power, Śakti
• शक्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• अनुत्तमाम्: unsurpassed
• अनुत्तमाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• आहूता: having been called
• आहूता: Visheshya (Predicate/विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आहूत (कृदन्त; आ + √ह्वे/ह्वय्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• परमा: supreme
• परमा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• शक्तिः: Śakti
• शक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; धातु: √गम्

• हरसंनिधिम्: to the presence of Hara (Śiva)
• हरसंनिधिम्: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर + संनिधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समास: हरस्य संनिधिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee/sage performs solemn invocation; a luminous Devī-form (Śakti) manifests and moves toward Hara’s presence, filling the sacred space with radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Viśveśa (Lord of the universe)
• Paramā Śakti
• Hara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva and Śakti function as inseparable divine agency: when the Lord wills protection, the supreme Power manifests to restore dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate verse centers on Śiva’s summoning of Śakti; the tīrtha-glorification is carried by the chapter’s broader Tīrthamāhātmya setting rather than this single line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Invocation (āhvāna) of divine Śakti through mantra is implied, consistent with Purāṇic dharma where sacred sound mediates divine protection.