Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

पद्मत्रयं तथाभ्यर्च्य मध्ये मंडलमादरात् । वामां ज्येष्ठां च रौद्रीं च भागाद्यैर्दिक्षु पूजयेत्

Transliteration

padmatrayaṃ tathābhyarcya madhye maṃḍalamādarāt | vāmāṃ jyeṣṭhāṃ ca raudrīṃ ca bhāgādyairdikṣu pūjayet

Translation

Having thus worshipped the three lotuses, one should reverently worship the maṇḍala at the center. In the directions, one should worship Vāmā, Jyeṣṭhā, and Raudrī, using the divisions beginning with Bhāga as the prescribed identifiers.

Word by Word

• पद्म-त्रयम्: the three lotuses
• पद्म-त्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Object), एकवचन; ‘त्रीणि पद्मानि’ (collective)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus/in that manner)

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभि + अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘अभ्यर्च्य’ = having worshipped

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन

• मण्डलम्: the circle/maṇḍala
• मण्डलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Object), एकवचन

• आदरात्: with reverence
• आदरात्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणवत् (ablatival adverb): ‘आदरेण/सादरम्’

• वामाम्: Vāmā
• वामाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Object), एकवचन; देवीनाम् नाम (proper noun)

• ज्येष्ठाम्: Jyeṣṭhā
• ज्येष्ठाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Object), एकवचन; देवीनाम् नाम

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

• रौद्रीम्: Raudrī
• रौद्रीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौद्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Object), एकवचन; देवीनाम् नाम

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

• भाग-आद्यैः: by (their) portions etc.
• भाग-आद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘भागाद्यैः’ = portions etc. (as per divisions)

• दिक्षु: in the directions
• दिक्षु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), बहुवचन

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Narratorial/Instructional voice (śakti worship within maṇḍala)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A priest worships three superimposed lotuses; at the bindu a bright central maṇḍala; in the four quarters stand feminine forms—Vāmā (gentle), Jyeṣṭhā (elder/authoritative), Raudrī (fierce)—each at a directional segment marked by bhāga divisions.

Characters & Entities

• Vāmā
• Jyeṣṭhā
• Raudrī
• Bhāga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-worship is completed through honoring Śakti-forms in the directions, revealing the unity of power and consciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse is a ritual prescription for maṇḍala-based worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

After worshipping three lotuses, worship the central maṇḍala and then worship Vāmā, Jyeṣṭhā, and Raudrī in the directions with prescribed divisions (bhāga-ādi).