Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

विद्युज्जिह्वा रुद्रकाली शतोलूखलमेखला । शतघंटाकिंकिणिका चक्राक्षी चत्वरालया

Transliteration

vidyujjihvā rudrakālī śatolūkhalamekhalā | śataghaṃṭākiṃkiṇikā cakrākṣī catvarālayā

Translation

वे (मातराएँ) विद्युत्-जिह्वा, रुद्रकाली, शत-उलूखल-मेखला, शत-घण्टा-किंकिणिका, चक्राक्षी और चत्वरालया हैं।

Word by Word

• विद्युत्-जिह्वा: having a lightning-like tongue
• विद्युत्-जिह्वा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्युत् (प्रातिपदिक) + जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative)

• रुद्र-काली: Rudra-Kālī (a form/name of the goddess)
• रुद्र-काली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + काली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (Rudra-like/related Kāli)

• शत-उलूखल-मेखला: having a girdle of a hundred mortars
• शत-उलूखल-मेखला: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + उलूखल (प्रातिपदिक) + मेखला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (determinative: girdle of a hundred mortars)

• शत-घण्टा-किंकिणिका: adorned with a hundred bells and tinkling ornaments
• शत-घण्टा-किंकिणिका: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + घण्टा (प्रातिपदिक) + किंकिणिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (determinative)

• चक्र-अक्षी: wheel-eyed; having disc-like eyes
• चक्र-अक्षी: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षी/अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (eyes like wheels/discs)

• चत्वर-आलया: dwelling at crossroads/public squares
• चत्वर-आलया: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चत्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + आलया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (dwelling in crossroads/squares)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A Bhārata interlocutor (address clarified in v.69)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession-like revelation of fierce Mothers: lightning-tongued Vidyujjihvā, Rudrakālī, bell-adorned Śataghaṃṭākiṃkiṇikā, Cakrākṣī with a discus-like eye, and Catvarālayā stationed at a four-way crossing; the air vibrates with bells and storm-light.

Characters & Entities

• Rudrakālī
• Mātṛs (Mother-goddesses)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine protection extends into liminal and feared spaces; the Mother’s fierce forms guard boundaries and remove hostile forces.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha appears; ‘Catvarālayā’ indicates a liminal dwelling-place (crossroads), not a particular pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse continues the catalogue of epithets and forms.