Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

कोटिसंख्याभिरत्युग्रदेवीभिः संवृता च सा । दक्षिणां दिशमाश्रित्य संस्थिता मम गौरवात्

Transliteration

koṭisaṃkhyābhiratyugradevībhiḥ saṃvṛtā ca sā | dakṣiṇāṃ diśamāśritya saṃsthitā mama gauravāt

Translation

Entourée de crores de déesses d’une farouche puissance, Elle demeure établie, prenant refuge dans la direction du sud, par la majesté de mon autorité.

Word by Word

• कोटिसंख्याभिः: by (those) of crore-number
• कोटिसंख्याभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (‘crore-numbered’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• अति-उग्र-देवीभिः: by very fierce goddesses
• अति-उग्र-देवीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + उग्रा + देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (‘exceedingly fierce goddesses’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• संवृता: was surrounded
• संवृता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

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

• दक्षिणाम्: southern
• दक्षिणाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; दिशम् इति विशेषण

• दिशम्: direction
• दिशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आश्रित्य: having resorted to
• आश्रित्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having resorted to’

• संस्थिता: is stationed
• संस्थिता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• गौरवात्: because of (my) honor/importance
• गौरवात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (ablative of cause)

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dakṣiṇa-diś Devī-sthāna (southern protective seat)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Goddess stands established facing south, encircled by an immense host of fierce goddesses—each with weapons, skull-garlands, and protective stances—forming a living fortress of Śakti.

Characters & Entities

• Tārā (contextual)
• Ugṛa-devīs (fierce goddesses)
• South (Dakṣiṇā diś)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine protection is not solitary but supported by vast śakti-retinues; sacred space is guarded through organized cosmic power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha; the verse describes directional sacrality (south) and the Goddess’s protective station.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a description of the Goddess’s established presence and her attendants.