Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

जय सर्वगते देवि चर्ममुण्डधरे वरे । जय दैत्यकुलोच्छेददक्षे दक्षात्मजे शुभे

Transliteration

jaya sarvagate devi carmamuṇḍadhare vare | jaya daityakulocchedadakṣe dakṣātmaje śubhe

Translation

Victoire à toi, ô Déesse qui pénètres tout, suprême porteuse de peau et de crânes ! Victoire à toi, ô fille bénie de Dakṣa, habile à exterminer les lignées des asuras !

Word by Word

• जय: hail/victory!
• जय: Sambodhana (Vocative address)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: jaya (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्बोधनार्थ निपात) = indeclinable exclamation; 'victory (to you)!'

• सर्वगते: O all-pervading one
• सर्वगते: Sambodhana (Vocative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + gata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √gam)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; विशेषण; 'all-pervading'

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• चर्ममुण्डधरे: O wearer of skin and shaven head
• चर्ममुण्डधरे: Sambodhana (Vocative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: carma + muṇḍa + dharā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; विशेषण; 'wearing skin and a shaven head'

• वरे: O excellent one
• वरे: Sambodhana (Vocative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; विशेषण; 'excellent/boon-giving'

• जय: hail!
• जय: Sambodhana (Vocative address)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: jaya (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्बोधनार्थ निपात)

• दैत्यकुलोच्छेददक्षे: O skilled destroyer of demon clans
• दैत्यकुलोच्छेददक्षे: Sambodhana (Vocative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daitya-kula + uccheda + dakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; 'skilled in destroying the race of demons'

• दक्षात्मजे: O daughter of Dakṣa
• दक्षात्मजे: Sambodhana (Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣa + ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; 'daughter of Dakṣa'

• शुभे: O auspicious one
• शुभे: Sambodhana (Vocative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; विशेषण; 'auspicious'

Speaker

Niṣadhādhipati (the lord/king of Niṣadha), offering Devī-stuti

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king chants ‘Jaya’ before a fierce yet auspicious Devī: she wears a hide and skull-garland; her presence fills the space, suggesting all-pervasion; shadowy demon forms dissolve at her feet.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Dakṣa
• Daityas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Goddess is both immanent (all-pervading) and fierce-protective, removing demonic forces that obstruct dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This is part of a Tīrthamāhātmya chapter, but this verse itself praises the Devī rather than naming the tīrtha explicitly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Recitation of victorious epithets (jaya-stuti) is implied as a devotional practice; no formal vow is stated.