Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

कामाख्या रेणुकादीनि शाक्तेयानि च सर्वशः । क्षेत्रराजानि सर्वाणि यथास्थाने वसंति हि

Transliteration

kāmākhyā reṇukādīni śākteyāni ca sarvaśaḥ | kṣetrarājāni sarvāṇi yathāsthāne vasaṃti hi

Translation

Kāmākhyā and Reṇukā and all the Śākta sacred seats—indeed, all these sovereign kṣetras dwell in their proper places.

Word by Word

• कामाख्या: (the place/śakti-pīṭha) Kāmākhyā
• कामाख्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामाख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम (proper noun)

• रेणुकादीनि: Reṇukā and others
• रेणुकादीनि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेणुका + आदि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘रेणुका-आदि’ = ‘Reṇukā and others’ (ādi-शब्देन समाहारः)

• शाक्तेयानि: belonging to Śakti / Śākta
• शाक्तेयानि: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाक्तेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘रेणुकादीनि’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सर्वशः: entirely; in every way
• सर्वशः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/व्याप्ति-वाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of totality)

• क्षेत्रराजानि: lords/kings of sacred places
• क्षेत्रराजानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्रराज (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘क्षेत्रस्य राजा’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘क्षेत्रराजानि’)

• यथास्थाने: in their proper places
• यथास्थाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; स्थान-निर्देशक क्रियाविशेषण (locative sense: ‘in their respective places’)

• वसंति: dwell; reside
• वसंति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) — हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the assembled sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāmākhyā (explicit)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic sacred map where Devi pīṭhas glow like fixed stars; Kāmākhyā shown as a hilltop shrine with red cloth and vermilion, Reṇukā as a serene lake-side Devi shrine; other pīṭhas as luminous markers.

Characters & Entities

• Kāmākhyā
• Reṇukā
• Śākta kṣetras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Goddess’s sacred seats are integral to dharma; Śākta kṣetras are honored as ‘sovereign’ holy places within the Purāṇic world-map.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāmākhyā is explicitly named, along with Reṇukā and other Śākta centers.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the verse affirms the established presence and authority of Śākta kṣetras.