Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

माहीकामपि यो दुर्गां नित्यमेव प्रपश्यति । न स पश्यति कष्टानि तस्मिन्नहनि कर्हिचित्

Transliteration

māhīkāmapi yo durgāṃ nityameva prapaśyati | na sa paśyati kaṣṭāni tasminnahani karhicit

Translation

Celui qui contemple sans cesse Durgā—celle qui demeure sur la terre (Māhīkā)—ne rencontre aucune épreuve ce jour-là, à aucun moment.

Word by Word

• माहीकाम्: Māhikā (goddess)
• माहीकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहीका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-अर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; सम्बन्धबोधक-सर्वनाम

• दुर्गाम्: Durgā
• दुर्गाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Avyaya (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम् (adverbial accusative: always)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avyaya (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• प्रपश्यति: beholds/sees
• प्रपश्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पश्य् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• न: not
• न: Avyaya (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• पश्यति: sees/experiences
• पश्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्य् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• कष्टानि: troubles/hardships
• कष्टानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; निर्देश-विशेषण (in that)

• अहनि: day
• अहनि: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (दिनवाचक)

• कर्हिचित्: ever/at any time
• कर्हिचित्: Avyaya (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कर्हिचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (at any time/ever)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Māhīkā Durgā (Māhī)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvijottamāḥ (assembled brāhmaṇas/ṛṣis)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee repeatedly visits the Devī shrine; Durgā Māhīkā is seen as a steady protective presence, with hardships symbolized as obstacles that dissolve before reaching the devotee.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Durgā (Māhīkā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Regular darśana of the Devī is portrayed as a shield that turns the day itself auspicious and trouble-free.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Devī presence linked to the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra narrative environment in Nāgarakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nitya-darśana (regular devotional seeing/visiting) of Durgā is recommended for daily protection.