Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

कोटिशो वेदमार्गस्य ध्वंसकान्पापकर्मिणः । इयं मया समाराध्य समानीता गिरेः सुता

Transliteration

koṭiśo vedamārgasya dhvaṃsakānpāpakarmiṇaḥ | iyaṃ mayā samārādhya samānītā gireḥ sutā

Translation

En multitudes innombrables surgissent des pécheurs qui détruisent la voie des Veda. C’est pourquoi, après l’avoir dûment adorée, j’ai amené ici la Fille de la Montagne (Girisutā) pour protection.

Word by Word

• कोटिशः: by crores; in millions
• कोटिशः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + शस् (अव्ययीभाव-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाणवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of number: ‘in crores/millions’)

• वेदमार्गस्य: of the path of the Vedas
• वेदमार्गस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘Veda-path’); पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• ध्वंसकान्: destroyers
• ध्वंसकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वंसक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• पापकर्मिणः: sinful in actions
• पापकर्मिणः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप + कर्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (‘sinful-deed-doer’); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (ध्वंसकान् इति विशेषण)

• इयम्: this (she)
• इयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana/Agent (Instrument/कर्ता-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन

• समाराध्य: having propitiated
• समाराध्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-राध् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having duly worshipped/propitiated’

• समानीता: was brought; was led here
• समानीता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-नी (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गिरेः: of the mountain
• गिरेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सुता: daughter
• सुता: Apposition (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; इयम् इति विशेष्य

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating (first-person quotation preserved)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A surge of dark figures symbolizing Veda-path destroyers; the narrator performs worship and ceremonially brings Girisutā—radiant, mountain-born—into the sacred precinct as a protective presence.

Characters & Entities

• Veda-mārga
• Girisutā (Pārvatī/Devī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma is threatened, devoted ārādhana invokes divine protection; the Goddess is portrayed as guardian of the Vedic way.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No explicit location is named; the verse emphasizes dharma-protection rather than a particular pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Samārādhana (proper worship) is indicated as the operative practice, without specifying mantra, vrata, or offering.