Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

शैलेश्वरी समभ्यर्च्या शैलेश्वर समीपगा । तर्जयंती च तर्जन्या संसर्गमुपसर्गजम्

Transliteration

śaileśvarī samabhyarcyā śaileśvara samīpagā | tarjayaṃtī ca tarjanyā saṃsargamupasargajam

Translation

Śaileśvarī, who abides near Śaileśvara, should be worshipped with reverence. With her raised forefinger she wards off harmful contagion and afflictions born of evil influences.

Word by Word

• śaileśvarī: Śaileśvarī (goddess)
• śaileśvarī: Karman (Object implied of worship/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaila (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् — Feminine Nominative Singular

• samabhyarcyā: to be duly worshipped
• samabhyarcyā: Vidhi (Injunctive predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-abhi-√arc (अर्च्) + ya (य)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम्; अर्हार्थक-प्रत्ययान्त (यत्/ण्यत्-समूह) — ‘to be worshipped’ (gerundive)

• śaileśvara: O Śaileśvara
• śaileśvara: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaila (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन/प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् — Masculine Vocative/Nominative Singular (context: address)

• samīpagā: situated nearby
• samīpagā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samīpa (प्रातिपदिक) + √gam (गम्) + ṭa (ट)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम्; कृदन्त-विशेषणम् (ग-प्रत्ययान्त/कृत्) — Feminine Nominative Singular; ‘going/being near’

• tarjayantī: threatening
• tarjayantī: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √tarj (तर्ज्) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम्; वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शतृ) — Feminine Nominative Singular, present active participle

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः — conjunction

• tarjanyā: with the index finger
• tarjanyā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tarjanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् — Feminine Instrumental Singular

• saṃsargam: contact/association
• saṃsargam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃsarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् — Masculine Accusative Singular

• upasarga-jam: arising from affliction/attack
• upasarga-jam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upasarga (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (कृदन्त; √jan जन् + ड)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् — Masculine Accusative Singular; विशेषणम् (to saṃsargam)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śaileśvarī (near Śaileśvara)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śaileśvarī stands close to Śaileśvara’s liṅga-shrine, forefinger raised in tarjanī, pushing back a dark haze of upasarga—symbolic miasma, disease, and malign contact.

Characters & Entities

• Śaileśvara
• Śaileśvarī
• Kāśī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred Devī worship in Kāśī is depicted not only as merit-giving but also as protective—removing afflictions and harmful influences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The area near Śaileśvara in Kāśī, where Śaileśvarī is worshipped.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Samabhyarcana (devout worship) of Śaileśvarī for protection from upasarga-born troubles.