Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

अष्टम्यां च चतुर्दश्यां तेषु संपूज्य भक्तितः । योगिनीनां च वृन्दानि कन्यकानां विशेषतः

Transliteration

aṣṭamyāṃ ca caturdaśyāṃ teṣu saṃpūjya bhaktitaḥ | yoginīnāṃ ca vṛndāni kanyakānāṃ viśeṣataḥ

Translation

Am achten und am vierzehnten Mondtag verehre sie dort in Hingabe — besonders die Scharen der Yoginīs und ganz besonders die Jungfrauen-Gestalten (kanyā).

Word by Word

• अष्टम्याम्: on the eighth (lunar day)
• अष्टम्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Feminine, Loc., Sg.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• चतुर्दश्याम्: on the fourteenth (lunar day)
• चतुर्दश्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Feminine, Loc., Sg.)

• तेषु: in those (places)
• तेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन (Loc., Pl.; 'in/among those [pīṭhas]')

• संपूज्य: having duly worshipped
• संपूज्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (having worshipped)

• भक्तितः: devoutly
• भक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/Manner/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): 'out of devotion/with devotion'

• योगिनीनाम्: of the yoginīs
• योगिनीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (Feminine, Gen., Pl.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• वृन्दानि: groups/hosts
• वृन्दानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Neuter, Acc./Nom., Pl.)

• कन्यकानाम्: of maidens
• कन्यकानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्यका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (Feminine, Gen., Pl.)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Vishesana (Qualifier/विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (adverb): 'especially'

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; not explicit in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Within a consecrated courtyard, a circle of Yoginīs is honored with lamps and offerings; at the center, maiden-forms are respectfully worshipped as embodiments of Devī on aṣṭamī and caturdaśī nights.

Characters & Entities

• Yoginīs
• Kanyās

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional worship performed on potent lunar days becomes especially fruitful when it honors divine feminine powers (Yoginīs) with purity and reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya framework, praising the merit of rites performed at the described tīrtha setting of this chapter (site not named in the verse itself).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship on Aṣṭamī and Caturdaśī, with special emphasis on Yoginī-vṛnda worship and kanyā (maiden) honoring.