Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 90

Devanagari script

शतनेत्रा सहस्रास्या तथायुतभुजापरा । अश्वारूढा गजास्या च त्वरिता शववाहिनी

Transliteration

śatanetrā sahasrāsyā tathāyutabhujāparā | aśvārūḍhā gajāsyā ca tvaritā śavavāhinī

Translation

L’une a cent yeux; l’autre mille visages; une autre d’innombrables bras. L’une monte un cheval; l’autre a un visage d’éléphant; l’une est Tvaritā; et l’autre est Śavavāhinī, celle qui chevauche un cadavre.

Word by Word

• शतनेत्रा: hundred-eyed
• शतनेत्रा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—'शतं नेत्राणि यस्याः' (having a hundred eyes)

• सहस्रास्या: thousand-faced
• सहस्रास्या: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—'सहस्रम् आस्यानि यस्याः' (thousand-faced)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (also)

• अयुतभुजा: ten-thousand-armed
• अयुतभुजा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अयुत (प्रातिपदिक) + भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—'अयुतं भुजाः यस्याः' (having ten-thousand arms)

• अपरा: another (one)
• अपरा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (देवी)

• अश्वारूढा: mounted on a horse
• अश्वारूढा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आरूढ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अश्वम् आरूढा)

• गजास्या: elephant-faced
• गजास्या: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—'गजस्य आस्यम् यस्याः' (elephant-faced)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• त्वरिता: swift
• त्वरिता: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शववाहिनी: corpse-bearer / riding a corpse
• शववाहिनी: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शव (प्रातिपदिक) + वाहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (शवं वहति/वाहयति इति)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context) to Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (Ugra-Śakti guardians)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession-like tableau of guardian goddesses: one with a hundred eyes, one with a thousand faces, one with innumerable arms; a horse-rider, an elephant-faced goddess, swift Tvaritā, and Śavavāhinī riding a corpse—each poised as a sentinel at Kāśī’s edges.

Characters & Entities

• Śaktis of Durgā
• Tvaritā
• Śavavāhinī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Divine Mother’s protective power is expressed through many awe-inspiring forms, each suited to guarding the sacred field.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied kṣetra being guarded by these described Śakti-forms.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is stated here; the verse supports contemplation and worship of the Śaktis through their distinctive forms.