Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । आद्यैका देवता लोके बहुरूपा व्यवस्थिता । देवतानां हितार्थाय दैत्यपक्षक्षयाय च

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | ādyaikā devatā loke bahurūpā vyavasthitā | devatānāṃ hitārthāya daityapakṣakṣayāya ca

Translation

Sūta dit : Dans le monde, il est une unique Divinité primordiale, établie en de multiples formes, pour le bien des dieux et pour l’anéantissement des cohortes des Daityas.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine nominative singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Perfect 3rd person singular

• आद्या: primordial/first
• आद्या: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Feminine nominative singular

• एका: one
• एका: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Feminine nominative singular

• देवता: deity
• देवता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Feminine nominative singular

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Locative singular

• बहुरूपा: of many forms
• बहुरूपा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Feminine nominative singular; बहुव्रीहिः: ‘बहूनि रूपाणि यस्याः सा’

• व्यवस्थिता: is established/abides
• व्यवस्थिता: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+अव+स्था (धातु) → व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — “is established/abides”

• देवतानाम्: of the gods
• देवतानाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — Genitive plural

• हितार्थाय: for (their) welfare
• हितार्थाय: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन — Dative singular; तत्पुरुषः: ‘हितस्य अर्थः’ → “for the welfare/purpose of welfare”

• दैत्यपक्षक्षयाय: for the destruction of the demons’ side/faction
• दैत्यपक्षक्षयाय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य + पक्ष + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन — Dative singular; तत्पुरुषः: ‘दैत्यपक्षस्य क्षयः’

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

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kelīśvarī/Sureśvarī-sthāna (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages (addressing Sūtanandana earlier; now Sūta speaks)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūta as authoritative narrator addressing the assembly; behind him, a cosmic vision: one radiant Devī whose aura splits into multiple iconographic forms (Kātyāyanī, Cāmuṇḍā, Tārā, Śrīmātā, Kelīśvarī), while devas are sheltered and daityas fall.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Devī (one primordial divinity)
• Devas
• Daityas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Divine Mother is one reality manifesting in many forms to uphold Dharma—protecting the righteous and removing demonic oppression.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The verse provides theological framing for a local Mahātmya; the tīrtha-context is implicit and unfolds as the narrative specifies the Goddess-form and her descent.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; it establishes the doctrinal basis for later devotion and worship at the associated sacred site.