Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

कोटिसंख्याभिरत्युग्रदेवीभिः संवृता च सा । दक्षिणां दिशमाश्रित्य संस्थिता मम गौरवात्

Transliteration

koṭisaṃkhyābhiratyugradevībhiḥ saṃvṛtā ca sā | dakṣiṇāṃ diśamāśritya saṃsthitā mama gauravāt

Translation

Ia dikelilingi oleh krore dewi-dewi yang amat dahsyat. Bersandar pada arah selatan, ia tetap tegak di sana oleh kemuliaan kewibawaanku.

Word by Word

• कोटिसंख्याभिः: by (those) of crore-number
• कोटिसंख्याभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (‘crore-numbered’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• अति-उग्र-देवीभिः: by very fierce goddesses
• अति-उग्र-देवीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + उग्रा + देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (‘exceedingly fierce goddesses’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• संवृता: was surrounded
• संवृता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दक्षिणाम्: southern
• दक्षिणाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; दिशम् इति विशेषण

• दिशम्: direction
• दिशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आश्रित्य: having resorted to
• आश्रित्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having resorted to’

• संस्थिता: is stationed
• संस्थिता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• गौरवात्: because of (my) honor/importance
• गौरवात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (ablative of cause)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating (first-person quotation preserved)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dakṣiṇa-diś Devī-sthāna (southern protective seat)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Goddess stands established facing south, encircled by an immense host of fierce goddesses—each with weapons, skull-garlands, and protective stances—forming a living fortress of Śakti.

Characters & Entities

• Tārā (contextual)
• Ugṛa-devīs (fierce goddesses)
• South (Dakṣiṇā diś)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine protection is not solitary but supported by vast śakti-retinues; sacred space is guarded through organized cosmic power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha; the verse describes directional sacrality (south) and the Goddess’s protective station.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a description of the Goddess’s established presence and her attendants.