Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

एकवीरेति या देवी साक्षात्सा शिवपूजिता । ययाविष्टो जगत्सर्वं संहरत्येष भूतराट्

Transliteration

ekavīreti yā devī sākṣātsā śivapūjitā | yayāviṣṭo jagatsarvaṃ saṃharatyeṣa bhūtarāṭ

Translation

The Goddess called Ekavīrā is worshiped directly by Śiva himself. Possessed by her power, this Lord of beings brings the entire universe to dissolution.

Word by Word

• eka-vīrā: Ekavīrā
• eka-vīrā: Karta (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (संख्या) + vīrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-नाम: 'the one heroic (goddess)'

• iti: thus (called)
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative particle): end of name/quotation

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

• devī: goddess
• devī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sākṣāt: directly, in person
• sākṣāt: Kriya-viseshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākṣāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): 'directly/in person'

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• śiva-pūjitā: worshipped by Śiva
• śiva-pūjitā: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicate adjective/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + √pūj (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; समास: śiva-pūjitā = 'śivena pūjitā' (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• yayā: by whom
• yayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; relative pronoun

• āviṣṭaḥ: possessed, pervaded
• āviṣṭaḥ: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicate adjective/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√viś (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'entered/possessed'

• jagat: world
• jagat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here as object with 'sarvam' (collective)

• sarvam: all, entire
• sarvam: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies 'jagat'

• saṃharati: withdraws/destroys
• saṃharati: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ-√hṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• eṣaḥ: this (one)
• eṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• bhūta-rāṭ: king of beings (Śiva)
• bhūta-rāṭ: Karta (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + rājan/rāṭ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'bhūtānāṃ rāṭ' (king of beings)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ekavīrā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Inquirer (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva himself worships Ekavīrā; her power enters (āviṣṭa) the lord of beings, who then dissolves the universe—shown as cosmic absorption into darkness/light.

Characters & Entities

• Ekavīrā
• Śiva (Bhūtarāṭ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s cosmic function is inseparable from Śakti: the Goddess is affirmed as the empowering presence behind dissolution and transformation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ekavīrā is introduced as a northern Śakti presence; the verse emphasizes her theological stature more than a named pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śiva’s own worship of Ekavīrā is cited as exemplary; devotees are thereby encouraged toward her pūjā and upāsanā.