Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

श्रीमाता मदारिकायां शांता नंदापुरे वरे । रक्षार्थं द्विजमुख्यानां चतुर्दिक्षु स्थिताश्च ताः

Transliteration

śrīmātā madārikāyāṃ śāṃtā naṃdāpure vare | rakṣārthaṃ dvijamukhyānāṃ caturdikṣu sthitāśca tāḥ

Translation

Śrīmātā abides at Madārikā, and Śāntā in the excellent city of Nandāpura. For the protection of foremost brāhmaṇas, those Śaktis stand stationed in all four directions.

Word by Word

• श्रीमाता: Śrīmātā (name/title: revered mother)
• श्रीमाता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमाता (प्रातिपदिक; श्री + माता)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मदारिकायाम्: in Madārikā
• मदारिकायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मदारिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• शांता: Śāntā (name)
• शांता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• नन्दापुरे: in Nandāpura
• नन्दापुरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दापुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• वरे: excellent, best
• वरे: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• रक्षार्थम्: for protection
• रक्षार्थम्: Kriya-artha (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षार्थ (प्रातिपदिक; रक्षा + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ (for the sake of protection)

• द्विजमुख्यानाम्: of the foremost twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजमुख्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजमुख्य (प्रातिपदिक; द्विज + मुख्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• चतुर्दिक्षु: in the four directions
• चतुर्दिक्षु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दिश् (प्रातिपदिक; चतुर् + दिश्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• स्थिताः: standing/placed
• स्थिताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

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

• ताः: those (goddesses/powers)
• ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Vyāsa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Madārikā-Śrīmātā-sthāna; Nandāpura-Śāntā-sthāna (within Dharmāraṇya)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two goddess-shrines are named: Śrīmātā at Madārikā and Śāntā at Nandāpura; the narrative expands to a four-directional protective array of Śaktis guarding Brahmin sages and ritualists in the forest-kṣetra.

Characters & Entities

• Śrīmātā
• Śāntā
• Madārikā
• Nandāpura
• Dvija

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa frames the holy region as a mandala of protection, where named goddess-powers guard devotees and uphold sacred order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya’s Śakti-sthānas, specifically Madārikā and Nandāpura, are highlighted as protective centers.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is given; the verse identifies shrine-locations and their protective function in the four directions.