Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

धात्रेयिकां समाकार्य प्राहेदं सा नृपांगना । पंचमुद्रे महापीठे विकटा नाम मातृका

Transliteration

dhātreyikāṃ samākārya prāhedaṃ sā nṛpāṃganā | paṃcamudre mahāpīṭhe vikaṭā nāma mātṛkā

Translation

धाय को बुलाकर उस राजमहिषी ने कहा—“पञ्चमुद्रा नामक स्थान पर, महापीठ में, विकटा नाम की मातृका देवी विराजती हैं।”

Word by Word

• dhātreyikām: Dhātreyikā
• dhātreyikām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhātreyikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन (accusative singular; a woman named Dhātreyikā / midwife)

• samākārya: having summoned
• samākārya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√kṛ (कृ धातु) + lyap (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); सम्यक् आहूय/समानीय (having summoned)

• prāha: said
• prāha: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√ah (अह्/ब्रू धातु-समर्थ)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (said/spoke)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन (accusative singular; this)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन (nominative singular)

• nṛpa-aṃganā: the queen
• nṛpa-aṃganā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक) + aṃganā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; नृपस्य अङ्गना इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (nominative singular; king's consort/queen)

• paṃca-mudre: in Pañcamudrā
• paṃca-mudre: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṃca (संख्या) + mudrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन; पञ्च मुद्राः यस्यां सा/पञ्चमुद्रा-नाम्नि स्थाने (locative singular; in Pañcamudrā)

• mahā-pīṭhe: on the great pedestal
• mahā-pīṭhe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + pīṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन; महत् पīṭham् इति कर्मधारयः (locative singular; on the great seat/pedestal)

• vikaṭā: Vikaṭā
• vikaṭā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vikaṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन (nominative singular; name)

• nāma: named
• nāma: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देशार्थक (indeclinable; by name/called)

• mātṛkā: a Mother-goddess
• mātṛkā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन (nominative singular; mother-goddess)

Speaker

The queen speaking to the nurse (dhātreyikā)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pañcamudrā Mahāpīṭha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The queen calls the nurse and points toward a specific sacred seat—Pañcamudrā Mahāpīṭha—where the Mother-goddess Vikaṭā resides, preparing for a protective or decisive act.

Characters & Entities

• Dhātreyikā (nurse)
• Vikaṭā Mātṛkā
• Pañcamudrā (Mahāpīṭha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is portrayed as protected and empowered by Śakti-pīṭhas and Mātṛkās, where refuge is sought for safeguarding life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Pañcamudrā Mahāpīṭha, associated with the Mātṛkā named Vikaṭā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An implied protective approach: approaching the Mātṛkā at her pīṭha for guardianship, though no formal rite is detailed.