Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

यया विनिहतो रौद्रो महिषाख्यो महासुरः । कौमारव्रतधारिण्या तस्मिन्विन्ध्ये महाचले

Transliteration

yayā vinihato raudro mahiṣākhyo mahāsuraḥ | kaumāravratadhāriṇyā tasminvindhye mahācale

Translation

Elle—la Déesse qui observait le vœu de la jeune fille—abattit le farouche grand asura nommé Mahiṣa sur la puissante montagne du Vindhya; c’est cette même Déesse qu’ils adorèrent avec ferveur.

Word by Word

• yayā: by whom (by which goddess)
• yayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम

• vinihataḥ: was slain
• vinihataḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni + han (धातु) उपसर्गः vi + क्त (ta)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भूतकाले ‘was slain’

• raudraḥ: fierce
• raudraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: raudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (mahāsuraḥ इति)

• mahiṣākhyaḥ: named Mahiṣa
• mahiṣākhyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahiṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (महिष इति आख्यः)

• mahā-asuraḥ: the great demon
• mahā-asuraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश-पूर्वपद) + asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महान् असुरः)

• kaumāra-vrata-dhāriṇyā: by the bearer of the maiden’s vow
• kaumāra-vrata-dhāriṇyā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaumāra (प्रातिपदिक) + vrata (प्रातिपदिक) + dhāriṇī (प्रातिपदिक; √dhṛ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (कौमारव्रतं धारयति या)

• tasmin: in that
• tasmin: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vindhye: in the Vindhya (mountain)
• vindhye: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vindhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; पर्वतनाम

• mahā-acale: on the great mountain
• mahā-acale: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (पूर्वपद) + acala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महान् अचलः)

Speaker

Sūta (tīrthamāhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vindhya Mahācala (as mythic locus for Kātyāyanī)

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇa audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kātyāyanī as Mahīṣāsura-mardinī on Vindhya: the goddess radiant, lion mount, multiple arms with weapons; the buffalo-demon subdued; mountains loom behind; aura of cosmic triumph.

Characters & Entities

• Kātyāyanī
• Vindhya
• Mahiṣa (Mahāsura)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Devī is celebrated as the destroyer of adharma; her vrata-powered purity and power protect devotees and uphold cosmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vindhya is referenced as the locus of the Devī’s deed, while the ongoing narrative glorifies the local kṣetra of Hāṭakeśvara culminating in Raivateśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse highlights the Kaumāra-vrata (maiden’s vow) as a sanctifying observance associated with the Devī.