Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

सौम्या शांता महाराज स्थापिता कुलमातृका । श्रीमाता सा प्रसिद्धा च माहात्म्यं शृणु भूपते

Transliteration

saumyā śāṃtā mahārāja sthāpitā kulamātṛkā | śrīmātā sā prasiddhā ca māhātmyaṃ śṛṇu bhūpate

Translation

ഹേ മഹാരാജാ, ആ ദേവി സൗമ്യയും ശാന്തയും ആകുന്നു; അവളെ കുലമാതൃകയായി സ്ഥാപിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. അവൾ ‘ശ്രീമാതാ’ എന്ന നാമത്തിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധ; ഹേ ഭൂപതേ, അവളുടെ മഹാത്മ്യം ശ്രവിക്കൂ.

Word by Word

• सौम्या: gentle, auspicious
• सौम्या: Kartṛ-predicative (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• शान्ता: peaceful
• शान्ता: Kartṛ-predicative (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक; शम्-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle)

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज (प्रातिपदिक; महा + राजन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्थापिता: established
• स्थापिता: Kartṛ-predicative (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP)

• कुलमातृका: the clan-mother (tutelary mother-goddess)
• कुलमातृका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुलमातृका (प्रातिपदिक; कुल + मातृका)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रीमाता: the revered mother (Śrīmātā)
• श्रीमाता: Apposition (समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमाता (प्रातिपदिक; श्री + माता)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• प्रसिद्धा: well-known
• प्रसिद्धा: Kartṛ-predicative (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक; सिध्-धातोः क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• माहात्म्यम्: glory, greatness (account)
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• शृणु: hear, listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• भूपते: O king (lord of the earth)
• भूपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति (प्रातिपदिक; भू + पति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified narrator addressing a king (listener implied by 'mahārāja/bhūpate')

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śrīmātā-kṣetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhūpati / Mahārāja

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene Mother-goddess enthroned or installed (sthapita) as Kulamātṛkā; a king listens reverently as the narrator begins her māhātmya.

Characters & Entities

• Śrīmātā
• Kulamātṛkā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Goddess is not only cosmic but also intimately protective—installed as a kuladevatā who steadies families and kingdoms through peace and auspiciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces the Māhātmya within Dharmāraṇya; the emphasis is on the deity’s established presence in that sacred tradition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It references establishment/installation (sthāpana) of the Kulamātṛkā; details of the rite are given in surrounding verses.