Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

तत्र धौतेश्वरीं देवीं स्थापितां वृषभेण तु । ददर्श भगवाञ्छम्भुः सर्वदैवतपूजिताम्

Transliteration

tatra dhauteśvarīṃ devīṃ sthāpitāṃ vṛṣabheṇa tu | dadarśa bhagavāñchambhuḥ sarvadaivatapūjitām

Translation

Là, le Seigneur Śambhu vit la Déesse Dhauteśvarī, établie par Vṛṣabha et vénérée par tous les dieux.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• धौतेश्वरीम्: Dhauteśvarī (goddess)
• धौतेश्वरीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धौतेश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवीम्: the goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); अप्पोजिशन (in apposition) धौतेश्वरीम्

• स्थापिताम्: placed/installed
• स्थापिताम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying) देवीम्

• वृषभेण: by the bull (Vṛṣabha)
• वृषभेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Connector/सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying) शम्भुः

• शम्भुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्व-दैवत-पूजिताम्: worshipped by all deities
• सर्व-दैवत-पूजिताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दैवत (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजित (पूज्-धातु, क्त कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying) देवीम्

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing a King

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dhauteśvarī (Dhauteśvarī-tīrtha/shrine)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (Rājan)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śambhu arrives at the riverbank shrine and beholds Dhauteśvarī Devī enthroned; devas gather in orderly ranks offering flowers and lamps, while Vṛṣabha stands as the consecrator-guardian.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Dhauteśvarī
• Vṛṣabha (Nandin)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha is sanctified not only by geography but by divine installation and universal worship, making it a living center of grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The site of Dhauteśvarī Devī’s स्थापना near the Narmadā, tied to the Vidhautapāpa tīrtha tradition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse implies devī-sthāpanā and devatā-pūjā (installation and worship), though it gives no step-by-step ritual.