Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

कण्टकेषु च सर्वेषु कोटयो नवसंख्यया । शक्तयः प्राणिरक्षार्थं संस्थिता गिरिजाऽज्ञया

Transliteration

kaṇṭakeṣu ca sarveṣu koṭayo navasaṃkhyayā | śaktayaḥ prāṇirakṣārthaṃ saṃsthitā girijā'jñayā

Translation

Auf all seinen Dornen weilen Kräfte (Śakti) — an Zahl Krores, neunfach gezählt — eingesetzt zum Schutz der Wesen auf Geheiß Girijās.

Word by Word

• कण्टकेषु: among/on the thorns
• कण्टकेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कोटयः: crores; tens of millions
• कोटयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• नवसंख्यया: by the number nine
• नवसंख्यया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नव + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• शक्तयः: powers; śaktis
• शक्तयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• प्राणिरक्षार्थम्: for the protection of living beings
• प्राणिरक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणि + रक्षा + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); अर्थे (purpose-sense)

• संस्थिता: were stationed; stood established
• संस्थिता: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु) → संस्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (state: 'having been stationed')

• गिरिजा-अज्ञया: by Girijā’s command
• गिरिजा-अज्ञया: Hetu/Karaṇa (Cause/Instrument/हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरिजा (प्रातिपदिक) + आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: 'Girijā’s command')

Speaker

Narrator within Brahma–Nārada dialogue (contextual attribution)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A bilva tree with prominent thorns, each thorn subtly crowned with tiny luminous śakti-forms; an invisible protective perimeter surrounds pilgrims; Girijā’s command is implied by a hovering aura above the tree.

Characters & Entities

• Girijā
• Śakti (powers)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred is also protective: divine Śaktis guard devotees and living beings through sanctified forms in creation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Bilva-māhātmya is presented within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra narrative of Nāgarakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated, but it underwrites reverent handling of Bilva and faith in its protective sanctity.