Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

तस्मादियं समाराध्या वीर्यकामैर्नरैः सदा । चर्चिता या महादुर्गा पश्चिमायां दिशि स्थिता

Transliteration

tasmādiyaṃ samārādhyā vīryakāmairnaraiḥ sadā | carcitā yā mahādurgā paścimāyāṃ diśi sthitā

Translation

Therefore this Goddess should always be duly propitiated by men who desire strength and valor—she who is renowned as Mahādurgā and is established in the western direction.

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-रूपेण अव्ययीभाव (ablatival adverb): 'therefore/from that'

• iyam: this (goddess)
• iyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• samārādhyā: should be worshipped
• samārādhyā: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicate adjective/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-√rādh (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligative): स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'to be worshipped'

• vīrya-kāmaiḥ: by men desiring valor/power
• vīrya-kāmaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīrya (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समास: vīryakāma = 'vīryasya kāmaḥ' (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) used adjectivally

• naraiḥ: by men
• naraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriya-viseshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): 'always'

• carcitā: worshipped, praised
• carcitā: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicate adjective/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √carc (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle): स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'praised/worshipped'

• yā: who
• yā: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; relative pronoun introducing description

• mahā-durgā: Mahā-Durgā (the great Durgā)
• mahā-durgā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + durgā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'mahā ca sā durgā ca'

• paścimāyām: in the western
• paścimāyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paścimā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; used adjectivally with 'diśi'

• diśi: direction
• diśi: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• sthitā: situated
• sthitā: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicate adjective/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √sthā (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'situated/standing'

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahādurgā (Paścima-dik)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Inquirer seeking kṣetra details (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A western shrine of Mahādurgā, with devotees—especially warriors—performing continual propitiation for strength and valor.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādurgā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Those seeking vīrya are urged to practice steady devotion to Mahādurgā, whose fame and spiritual power are affirmed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A western-direction Śakti-sthāna of Mahādurgā is indicated; the exact toponym is not stated in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Samārādhana (consistent propitiatory worship) of Mahādurgā for attaining strength and valor.