Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

तत्रास्त्येका महागौरी नाम्ना विजयभैरवी । रक्षार्थमुत्तराद्वारि स्थिता पूज्येष्टसिद्धये

Transliteration

tatrāstyekā mahāgaurī nāmnā vijayabhairavī | rakṣārthamuttarādvāri sthitā pūjyeṣṭasiddhaye

Translation

Là se tient une unique forme de Mahāgaurī, nommée Vijayabhairavī. Postée à la porte du nord pour la protection, elle doit être adorée afin d’obtenir l’accomplissement des vœux chers.

Word by Word

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

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• एका: one
• एका: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• महागौरी: Mahāgaurī
• महागौरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः महती गौरी (कर्मधारयः)

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विजयभैरवी: Vijayabhairavī
• विजयभैरवी: Apposition (नाम-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजय + भैरवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः विजय-भैरवी (विशेषण-विशेष्यभावः/कर्मधारयः)

• रक्षार्थम्: for protection
• रक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रक्षा + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; ‘रक्षायै’ इत्यर्थे (for protection)

• उत्तराद्वारि: at the northern gate
• उत्तराद्वारि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर + द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः उत्तरस्य द्वारम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• स्थिता: standing/posted
• स्थिता: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्था (धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूज्य: for worship-worthy (aim)
• पूज्य: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √पूज् (धातु) यत्-प्रत्यय
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्/gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन (सिद्धये इत्यस्य विशेषण-पूर्वपदभावः)

• इष्ट: desired
• इष्ट: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √इष् (धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (सिद्धये इत्यस्य विशेषण-पूर्वपदभावः)

• सिद्धये: for attainment/success
• सिद्धये: Sampradana (Recipient/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda instructing Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vijayabhairavī (Mahāgaurī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kāśī-māhātmya audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Kāśī’s northern gateway stands Vijayabhairavī—radiant Mahāgaurī with protective stance, weapons and lotus, blessing pilgrims; the gate arch frames her as a sentinel while the city’s sacred lanes extend behind.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāgaurī
• Vijayabhairavī
• Uttaradvāra (northern gate)
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s sanctity is guarded by the Devī as well as Śiva; worship of the protective Goddess aligns devotion with safety and success in righteous aims.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The shrine/form of Mahāgaurī called Vijayabhairavī, positioned at Kāśī’s northern gateway (uttaradvāra).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā (worship) of Vijayabhairavī for rakṣā (protection) and iṣṭa-siddhi (fulfillment of desired goals).