Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

मन्दोदरीति विख्याता तपते भर्तृकारणात् । आराधयन्ती भर्तारमुमाया दयितं शुभम्

Transliteration

mandodarīti vikhyātā tapate bhartṛkāraṇāt | ārādhayantī bhartāramumāyā dayitaṃ śubham

Translation

അവൾ ‘മന്ദോദരി’ എന്ന പേരിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധ; ഭർത്തൃലാഭത്തിനായി തപസ്സു ചെയ്യുന്നു; ഉമയുടെ പ്രിയനായ ശുഭപ്രഭു (ശിവൻ) തന്നെയാണ് വരനെന്ന് കരുതി ആരാധിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• मन्दोदरी: Mandodarī
• मन्दोदरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्द + उदरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — बहुव्रीहि-नाम; ‘Mandodarī’ (lit. ‘she of gentle/slender belly’)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक)

• विख्याता: renowned
• विख्याता: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + ख्या (धातु) → विख्यात (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — क्त-प्रत्यय; ‘renowned/known’

• तपते: performs austerity
• तपते: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — आत्मनेपद

• भर्तृकारणात्: because of her husband
• भर्तृकारणात्: Hetu (Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन — ‘because of (her) husband’ (भर्तुः कारणात्)

• आराधयन्ती: worshipping
• आराधयन्ती: Karta (Participial, agrees with Mandodarī)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + राध् (धातु) → आराधयन्ती (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — शतृ-प्रत्यय वर्तमानकृदन्त; ‘worshipping/propitiating’

• भर्तारम्: husband
• भर्तारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उमायाः: of Umā
• उमायाः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — ‘of Umā’

• दयितम्: beloved
• दयितम्: Karma (Object complement to भर्तारम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दयित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘beloved’ (as noun)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — विशेषण (दयितम्/भर्तारम्)

Speaker

Maya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rāvaṇa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mandodarī, renowned maiden, performs fierce austerities—standing or seated in strict posture—offering worship to Śiva, the beloved of Umā; the scene blends ascetic severity with devotional tenderness.

Characters & Entities

• Mandodarī
• Umā
• Śiva (implied as Umāyā dayita)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas and devotion directed toward Śiva are presented as efficacious for fulfilling righteous life-aims, including marriage, when pursued with steadiness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha appears in this verse; the emphasis is on Śaiva worship and the power of tapas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ārādhana (propitiatory worship) of Śiva and tapas are indicated generally, without detailing a specific vrata.