Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

शूलाग्रभिन्नमहिषासुरपृष्ठपीठामुत्खातखड्ग रुचिरांगदबाहुदंडाम् । अभ्यर्च्य पंचवदनानुगतं नवम्यां दुर्गां सुदुर्गगहनानि तरंति मर्त्याः

Transliteration

śūlāgrabhinnamahiṣāsurapṛṣṭhapīṭhāmutkhātakhaḍga rucirāṃgadabāhudaṃḍām | abhyarcya paṃcavadanānugataṃ navamyāṃ durgāṃ sudurgagahanāni taraṃti martyāḥ

Translation

Sterbliche, die am Navamī, dem neunten Mondtag, die Göttin Durgā ordnungsgemäß verehren—sie, deren Thron auf dem Rücken des Büffeldämons Mahīṣāsura ruht, vom Spitz ihres Dreizacks gespalten, deren Arm ein herrliches Armreif schmückt und die das Schwert erhoben hält—gelangen selbst über die dunkelsten, gefährlichsten und undurchdringlichsten Schwierigkeiten hinaus.

Word by Word

• śūlāgra-bhinna-mahiṣāsura-pṛṣṭha-pīṭhām: (Durgā) whose back/seat (pīṭhā) is on the back of the buffalo-demon split by the spear-point
• śūlāgra-bhinna-mahiṣāsura-pṛṣṭha-pīṭhām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūla + agra + bhinna (√bhid + kta) + mahiṣa + asura + pṛṣṭha + pīṭhā (प्रातिपदिकसमूह)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (शूलाग्रेण भिन्नं महिषासुरस्य पृष्ठं यस्याः सा/तत्; पīṭhā = ‘back/seat’ as object)

• utkhāta-khaḍga-rucira-aṅgada-bāhu-daṇḍām: (Durgā) with upraised sword, splendid armlets, and strong arms
• utkhāta-khaḍga-rucira-aṅgada-bāhu-daṇḍām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ut-√khan (धातु) + kta (utkhāta) + khaḍga + rucira + aṅgada + bāhu + daṇḍā (प्रातिपदिकसमूह)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (उत्खातः खड्गः; रुचिराणि अङ्गदानि; बाहुदण्डाः) — देवीविशेषणरूपेण

• abhyarcya: having worshipped
• abhyarcya: Kriya (Gerund/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√arc (धातु) + lyap (क्त्वा-सम)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; ‘having worshipped’

• paṃca-vadana-anugatām: (Durgā) accompanied by the five-faced (Śiva)
• paṃca-vadana-anugatām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṃca + vadana + anugatā (anu-√gam + kta)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पञ्चवदनस्य अनुगता = accompanied by the five-faced (Śiva))

• navamyām: on the ninth (lunar day)
• navamyām: Adhikarana (Time locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: navamī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; कालवाचक-सप्तमी (locative of time)

• durgām: Durgā
• durgām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: durgā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• su-durga-gahanāni: very difficult thickets/impassable places
• su-durga-gahanāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su + durga + gahana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (सुदुर्गाणि गहनानि = very difficult thickets/fastnesses)

• taranti: cross
• taranti: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tṝ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकाल), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• martyāḥ: mortals
• martyāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: martya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Yogeśvarī/Durgā worship in Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mahīṣāsuramardinī Durgā enthroned upon the buffalo-demon’s back split by her trident; she raises a sword, wears a shining armlet, and is attended by a five-faced (pañcavadana) accompaniment—either a five-faced attendant aspect or a pañcānana (Śiva) association—while devotees worship on Navamī. A dark, thorny forest of ‘sudurga-gahana’ opens into a clear path as her grace manifests.

Characters & Entities

• Durgā
• Yogeśvarī
• Mahiṣāsura
• Śiva (Pañcavaktra)
• Navamī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Timely, devoted worship of the Goddess—especially on Navamī—grants passage through severe worldly and spiritual obstacles.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching occurs within Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya, linking Durgā/Yogeśvarī worship to the sanctity of Prabhāsa-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhyarcana (formal worship) of Durgā on Navamī (the ninth tithi), implying vrata-like observance and pūjā.