Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

व्यास उवाच । शृणु पार्थ महाबाहो धर्ममूर्ते नृपोत्तम । स्थाने वै स्थापिता शक्तिः काजेशैश्चैव गोत्रपा

Transliteration

vyāsa uvāca | śṛṇu pārtha mahābāho dharmamūrte nṛpottama | sthāne vai sthāpitā śaktiḥ kājeśaiścaiva gotrapā

Translation

Vyāsa said: Listen, O Pārtha, mighty-armed—O embodiment of dharma, best of kings. In their proper places the Śakti was established by the lords of Kājeśa, and she protects the lineages (gotras).

Word by Word

• व्यासः: Vyāsa
• व्यासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पार्थ: O Pārtha (Arjuna)
• पार्थ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• महाबाहो: O mighty-armed one
• महाबाहो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबाहु (प्रातिपदिक; महा + बाहु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• धर्ममूर्ते: O embodiment of dharma
• धर्ममूर्ते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्ममूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + मूर्ति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• नृपोत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपोत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; नृप + उत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• स्थाने: in (its) place
• स्थाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (indeed)

• स्थापिता: has been established
• स्थापिता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + णिच् + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि (passive)

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

• काजेशैः: by the Kājeśas
• काजेशैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काजेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphasis)

• गोत्रपा: protector of lineages (Gotrapā)
• गोत्रपा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोत्रपा (प्रातिपदिक; गोत्र + पा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Vyāsa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya (Śakti-pratiṣṭhita-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira (addressed as Pārtha; dharma-mūrti)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vyāsa addresses Yudhiṣṭhira with honorifics, affirming that Śakti was installed in proper places by Kājeśa-lords and that she protects gotras; the scene conveys orderly sacred administration of a forest-kṣetra.

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Pārtha (Arjuna epithet used as address)
• Kājeśa
• Śakti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine Śakti is presented as a localized protective power, sustaining social-spiritual order (gotra protection) within a holy region.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya, where Śakti is said to be established in specific places.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No detailed rite; it asserts the installation (sthāpanā) of Śakti by regional divine authorities.