Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

प्रतीच्योदीच्यां याम्यां वै विबुधैः स्थापिता हि सा । नानायुधधरा सा च नानाभरणभूषिता

Transliteration

pratīcyodīcyāṃ yāmyāṃ vai vibudhaiḥ sthāpitā hi sā | nānāyudhadharā sā ca nānābharaṇabhūṣitā

Translation

പടിഞ്ഞാറ്, വടക്ക്, തെക്ക് ദിക്കുകളിലും ആ ദേവിയെ ദേവന്മാർ സ്ഥാപിച്ചു; അവൾ നാനാവിധ ആയുധങ്ങൾ ധരിക്കുകയും നാനാഭരണങ്ങളാൽ അലങ്കരിക്കപ്പെടുകയും ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• प्रतीची: in the west
• प्रतीची: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratīcī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; दिक्शब्दः (western direction)

• उदीच्याम्: in the north
• उदीच्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udīcī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; दिक्शब्दः (northern direction)

• याम्याम्: in the south
• याम्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yāmyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; दिक्शब्दः (southern direction)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• विबुधैः: by the gods/wise ones
• विबुधैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• स्थापिता: was stationed
• स्थापिता: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthāpita (कृदन्त; √sthāp स्थाप् caus.)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) — ‘was established’ (passive)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये अव्यय (indeed/for)

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

• नाना: various
• नाना: Sambandha (Modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nānā (अव्यय)
• Form: विविधार्थक अव्यय (various)

• आयुधधरा: bearing weapons
• आयुधधरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āyudha+dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—आयुधं धरतीति (weapon-bearing)

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

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

• नाना: various
• नाना: Sambandha (Modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nānā (अव्यय)
• Form: विविधार्थक अव्यय (various)

• आभरणभूषिता: adorned with ornaments
• आभरणभूषिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ābharaṇa+bhūṣita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—आभरणैः भूषिता (adorned with ornaments); भूषित (PPP of √bhūṣ)

Speaker

Deductive (Dharmāraṇya narrative frame): Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The goddess is shown installed in multiple quarters of the forest, each aspect holding different weapons, richly ornamented, forming a tri-directional protective arc.

Characters & Entities

• Devas (Vibudhas)
• Directional quarters (West/North/South)
• Dharmāraṇya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine protection is comprehensive—covering all directions—signifying that dharma-guardianship surrounds the sacred realm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya, mapped as a ritually protected space across the directions.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, directional placement/installation (dik-sthāpana) of deities; no specific vow or offering is stated.