Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 180

Devanagari script

शिलादतनयोप्यैशीं मूर्द्धन्याज्ञां विधाय च । आहूय सर्वतो दुर्गाः प्रतिदुर्गं न्यवेशयत्

Transliteration

śilādatanayopyaiśīṃ mūrddhanyājñāṃ vidhāya ca | āhūya sarvato durgāḥ pratidurgaṃ nyaveśayat

Translation

Even the son of Śilāda, having issued this supreme command as an ordinance for all, summoned protective goddesses from every direction and stationed them—one by one—at each stronghold to safeguard the sacred domain.

Word by Word

• शिलादतनयः: the son of Śilāda
• शिलादतनयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिलाद-तनय (प्रातिपदिक; शिलादस्य तनयः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष समास

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/बल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• ऐशीम्: divine, of the Lord
• ऐशीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऐशी (प्रातिपदिक; ईश-सम्बन्धिनी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (आज्ञाम् इति)

• मूर्द्धन्य: (placed) on the head; head-related
• मूर्द्धन्य: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्द्धन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (आज्ञाम् इति)

• आज्ञाम्: command, order
• आज्ञाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विधाय: having performed/placed
• विधाय: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया—"having done/placed"

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• आहूय: having called/summoned
• आहूय: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ह्वा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया—"having summoned"

• सर्वतः: from all sides, everywhere
• सर्वतः: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• दुर्गाः: (the) Durgās (goddesses)
• दुर्गाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• प्रति-दुर्गम्: at each fort/stronghold
• प्रति-दुर्गम्: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial)

• न्यवेशयत्: he placed/installed
• न्यवेशयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-वि-श् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda (contextual attribution within Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nandin/Śiva’s agent issues a supreme ordinance; protective Durgās arrive from the directions and take posts at each ‘fort’ or boundary-point of Avimukta, forming a ring of śakti around the sacred city.

Characters & Entities

• Śilāda
• Nandī
• Durgā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places are protected by divine order; dharma is upheld through appointed guardians who preserve the sanctity of the kṣetra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider sacred domain of Kāśī/Avimukta is implied, described as being guarded through divine fortifications.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed here; the verse describes divine appointment and protection rather than a human rite.