Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

घृणावती घृणनिधिर्घस्मरा घूकनादिनी । घुसृणा पिंजरतनुर्घर्घरा घर्घरस्वना

Transliteration

ghṛṇāvatī ghṛṇanidhirghasmarā ghūkanādinī | ghusṛṇā piṃjaratanurghargharā ghargharasvanā

Translation

അവൾ കരുണാമയി, ദയയുടെ നിധി; എങ്കിലും അധർമ്മം ഭക്ഷിക്കുന്ന ഭീകരനാദിനി. അവൾ മല‑പാപഹാരിണി, സ്വർണ്ണവർണ്ണ ദേഹധാരിണി; മേഘഗർജനപോലെ ഘർഘരധ്വനി മുഴങ്ങുന്നു.

Word by Word

• घृणावती: possessing compassion
• घृणावती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घृणा (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; वत्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive)

• घृणनिधिः: treasure of compassion
• घृणनिधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृणा (प्रातिपदिक) + निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग? (समासान्त-निधि सामान्यतः पुल्लिङ्ग), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (घृणायाः निधिः)

• घस्मरा: devouring, voracious
• घस्मरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घस् (धातु) + मर (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय) → घस्मर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; घस्मर-शब्द (devouring/consuming)

• घूकनादिनी: making an owl-like sound
• घूकनादिनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घूक (प्रातिपदिक) + नादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (घूकस्य नादिनी)

• घुसृणा: with a ‘ghu’ sound; noisy
• घुसृणा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घु (प्रातिपदिक/ध्वन्यनुकरण) + सृणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ध्वन्यनुकरण-आधारित विशेषण

• पिंजरतनुः: having a tawny body
• पिंजरतनुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिंजर (प्रातिपदिक) + तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (पिंजरा तनुः)

• घर्घरा: gurgling, rattling
• घर्घरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घर्घर (प्रातिपदिक; ध्वन्यनुकरण)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• घर्घरस्वना: having a gurgling sound
• घर्घरस्वना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घर्घर (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (घर्घरः स्वनः यस्याः / घर्घरस्वनः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience (ṛṣi/śaunaka-style assembly typical of Purāṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In Kāśī’s sacred precinct, Devī is envisioned golden-hued, compassionate yet terrifying to evil, her roar like thunder rolling over the Gaṅgā ghāṭas; devotees bow as darkness and impurity are consumed.

Characters & Entities

• Devī (Śakti)
• Kāśī (implied by section context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Divine Mother is simultaneously tender with compassion and fierce against sin—invoking her names in Kāśī is a dharmic act of purification and protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is the implied sacred setting of this praise within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated here; the practice implied is nāma-stuti/japa—reverent recitation of the Devī’s names.