Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

तत्रैव विकटा देवी सर्वदुःखौघमोचनी । पंचमुद्रं महापीठं तज्ज्ञेयं सर्वसिद्धिदम्

Transliteration

tatraiva vikaṭā devī sarvaduḥkhaughamocanī | paṃcamudraṃ mahāpīṭhaṃ tajjñeyaṃ sarvasiddhidam

Translation

There itself is the Goddess Vikaṭā, who releases one from torrents of every sorrow. The great seat (mahāpīṭha) called Pañcamudrā is to be known there as the giver of all siddhis.

Word by Word

• तत्रैव: right there
• तत्रैव: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र + एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक-अव्यय + अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• विकटा: Vikaṭā (goddess)
• विकटा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकटा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• देवी: goddess
• देवी: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वदुःखौघमोचनी: remover of the flood of all sorrows
• सर्वदुःखौघमोचनी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-दुःख-ओघ-मोचनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां दुःखानाम् ओघं मोचयति इति)

• पञ्चमुद्रम्: the ‘five-seals’ (pañcamudrā)
• पञ्चमुद्रम्: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च-मुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (पञ्च मुद्राः यस्य/यत्र)

• महापीठम्: great sacred seat (pīṭha)
• महापीठम्: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महत् पीठम्)

• तज्ज्ञेयम्: that is to be known (as)
• तज्ज्ञेयम्: Kriya-vishesana (Predicate adjective/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद्-ज्ञेय (कृदन्त; √ज्ञा + यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: ‘to be known’); तत्पुरुषः (तत् ज्ञेयम्)

• सर्वसिद्धिदम्: granting all attainments
• सर्वसिद्धिदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-सिद्धि-द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वाः सिद्धीः ददाति इति)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vikaṭā Devī; Pañcamudrā Mahāpīṭha

Type: mahapitha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī Vikaṭā appears near a shrine, fierce yet compassionate, with devotees seeking relief; nearby is the Pañcamudrā mahāpīṭha marked by symbolic ‘five seals’/mudrā motifs, yogins performing sādhana.

Characters & Entities

• Vikaṭā Devī
• Pañcamudrā Mahāpīṭha
• Kāśī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is praised as a confluence of Śiva and Śakti where devotion to the Devī removes suffering and supports spiritual accomplishment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vikaṭā Devī’s shrine and the Pañcamudrā Mahāpīṭha in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No detailed rite is specified; the verse identifies the Devī and pīṭha and states their fruits (relief from sorrow; all siddhis).