Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

स्तुत्वा च विविधैः स्तोत्रैस्ततः प्रोवाच सादरम् । तथान्या मातरः सर्वा यथाज्येष्ठं यथाक्रमम्

Transliteration

stutvā ca vividhaiḥ stotraistataḥ provāca sādaram | tathānyā mātaraḥ sarvā yathājyeṣṭhaṃ yathākramam

Translation

Après l’avoir louée par divers hymnes, il parla ensuite avec révérence; et de même il s’adressa à toutes les autres Déesses-Mères, selon l’ancienneté et l’ordre convenable.

Word by Word

• स्तुत्वा: having praised
• स्तुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): ‘having praised’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; (Instrumental plural; qualifies स्तोत्रैः)

• स्तोत्रैः: with hymns
• स्तोत्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; (Instrumental plural)

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/कालवाचक (adverb: ‘then/thereafter’)

• प्रोवाच: said
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (he said/spoke)

• सादरम्: respectfully
• सादरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सादर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative: ‘respectfully’)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: ‘thus/likewise’)

• अन्याः: other
• अन्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (qualifies मातरः)

• मातरः: mothers (mother-goddesses)
• मातरः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (Nominative plural)

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (qualifies मातरः)

• यथा: according to
• यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/अनुपूर्व्यवाचक (adverb: ‘according to/as’)

• ज्येष्ठम्: by seniority
• ज्येष्ठम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative: ‘in order of seniority’)

• यथा: according to
• यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/अनुपूर्व्यवाचक (adverb)

• क्रमम्: order, sequence
• क्रमम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; (Accusative singular used adverbially: ‘in order’)

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A liturgical tableau: the Dānava completes hymns to Devī, then turns to honor the circle of Mother-goddesses in correct seniority and sequence, suggesting a sanctum with multiple niches or a yantra-like arrangement.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Mātaraḥ (Mother-goddesses)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence is expressed through praise and proper ritual order; dharmic worship honors both devotion and sacred protocol.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha associated with Kelīśvarī Devī is implied as a seat of the Mothers (mātaraḥ) and hymn-based worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering stotras (hymns) and worshipping the Mother-goddesses in correct sequence (yathājyeṣṭhaṃ, yathākramam).