Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

देवा ऊचुः । हाटकेश्वरजे क्षेत्रे पादुके तत्र संस्थिते । अंबाया मातृभिः सार्धं गुहामध्ये सुगुप्तके

Transliteration

devā ūcuḥ | hāṭakeśvaraje kṣetre pāduke tatra saṃsthite | aṃbāyā mātṛbhiḥ sārdhaṃ guhāmadhye suguptake

Translation

ದೇವರುಗಳು ಹೇಳಿದರು—ಹಾಟಕೇಶ್ವರ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಆ ಪಾದುಕೆಗಳು ಸ್ಥಾಪಿತವಾಗಿವೆ; ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಅಂಬಾ ಮಾತೃಗಣಗಳೊಂದಿಗೆ ಅತ್ಯಂತ ಗುಪ್ತವಾದ ಗುಹೆಯೊಳಗೆ ವಾಸಿಸುತ್ತಾಳೆ।

Word by Word

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Karma-kāraka (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• हाटकेश्वरजे: in the Hāṭakeśvara-related
• हाटकेश्वरजे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हाटकेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘हाटकेश्वरज-क्षेत्रे’ = हाटकेश्वरात् जात/सम्बद्ध (तत्पुरुष) विशेषण (क्षेत्रे)

• क्षेत्रे: in the sacred field/place
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पादुके: O Pādukā (dual form)
• पादुके: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पादुका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/सम्बोधन द्विवचन (Nom./Voc. Dual)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• संस्थिते: situated; established
• संस्थिते: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/सम्बोधन द्विवचन; विशेषण (पादुके)

• अम्बायाः: of Ambā (the Mother Goddess)
• अम्बायाः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• मातृभिः: with the Mothers (Mātṛs)
• मातृभिः: Sahakari (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sahakari (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (preposition-like indeclinable: ‘together with’)

• गुहामध्ये: in the middle of the cave
• गुहामध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुहा (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘गुहायाः मध्ये’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• सुगुप्तके: in the well-hidden (place)
• सुगुप्तके: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग) + गुप्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘अत्यन्तं गुप्तके’ विशेषण (गुहामध्ये)

Speaker

Devas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Pādukā-guha

Type: cave

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Maheśvara (Śiva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A map-like reveal: the devas describe a sacred region where, deep inside a concealed cave, Ambā and the Mātṛkās abide, marked by a pair of Pādukās—simple yet radiating power.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra
• Pādukā
• Ambā (Devī)
• Mātṛkās

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divinity is present in specific sacred landscapes; the Goddess (Ambā) and the Mātṛkās abide in sanctified, protected spaces worthy of reverent approach.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra, specifically the Pādukā site associated with Ambā and the Mātṛkās in a hidden cave.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed here; the verse identifies the locus of worship: the Pādukā shrine of Ambā with the Mothers.