Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

तत्र चण्डी महामुण्डा भक्तविघ्नोपशांतिदा । बलिपूजोपहाराद्यैः पूज्या स्वाभीष्टसिद्धये

Transliteration

tatra caṇḍī mahāmuṇḍā bhaktavighnopaśāṃtidā | balipūjopahārādyaiḥ pūjyā svābhīṣṭasiddhaye

Translation

There dwells Caṇḍī Mahāmuṇḍā, the one who pacifies the obstacles that trouble devotees. She should be worshipped with offerings—such as bali and other acts of pūjā—so that one may attain the desired accomplishments.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• चण्डी: Caṇḍī
• चण्डी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता

• महामुण्डा: Mahāmuṇḍā
• महामुण्डा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + मुण्डा (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महती मुण्डा)

• भक्तविघ्नोपशान्तिदा: giver of pacification of devotees’ obstacles
• भक्तविघ्नोपशान्तिदा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्त + विघ्न + उपशान्ति + दा (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'चण्डी/महामुण्डा' इति विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (भक्तानां विघ्नानां उपशान्तिं ददाति)

• बलिपूजोपहाराद्यैः: with offerings such as bali, worship, gifts, etc.
• बलिपूजोपहाराद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि + पूजा + उपहार + आदि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (बलि-पूजा-उपहार-आदि), करण

• पूज्या: to be worshipped
• पूज्या: Vidhaya (Predicate qualifier/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) + य (कृत्-प्रत्यय; यत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्-प्रत्यय; gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be worshipped)

• स्वाभीष्टसिद्धये: for the attainment of one’s desired success
• स्वाभीष्टसिद्धये: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + अभीष्ट + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य अभीष्टस्य सिद्धिः), सम्प्रदान (purpose)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration, typically to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Caṇḍī Mahāmuṇḍā-sthāna (within the Kapālī Bhairava precinct)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Munis/seekers

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fierce yet benevolent Caṇḍī Mahāmuṇḍā icon in a shrine: multiple arms, weapons, garlands; devotees present bali (food offering), flowers, lamps; the atmosphere is protective, removing impediments.

Characters & Entities

• Caṇḍī
• Mahāmuṇḍā
• Bali (offering)
• Pūjā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devī-worship in a sanctified place is upheld as a means to pacify obstacles and secure rightful fulfilment of aims.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The precinct in Kāśī where Caṇḍī Mahāmuṇḍā is praised as present and efficacious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā with offerings, explicitly including bali and other upahāras, undertaken for svābhīṣṭa-siddhi (desired success).