Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

महेश्वराद्दक्षिणतो देवी माहेश्वरी नरैः । वृषयानवती पूज्या महावृषसमृद्धिदा

Transliteration

maheśvarāddakṣiṇato devī māheśvarī naraiḥ | vṛṣayānavatī pūjyā mahāvṛṣasamṛddhidā

Translation

മഹേശ്വരന്റെ തെക്കുവശത്ത് വൃഷഭവാഹിനിയായ ദേവി മാഹേശ്വരീ വിരാജിക്കുന്നു. ജനങ്ങൾ അവളെ പൂജിക്കണം; അവൾ ഗോസമ്പത്തും മഹാവൃഷസമൃദ്ധിയും (ബലവർദ്ധനവും) നൽകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• महेश्वरात्: from Maheśvara
• महेश्वरात्: Apadana (Point of reference: from)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, पञ्चमी (Ablative)

• दक्षिणतः: to the south (of)
• दक्षिणतः: Adhikarana (Directional location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दक्षिणतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक-अव्यय (directional adverb)

• देवी: the Goddess
• देवी: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा

• माहेश्वरी: Māheśvarī
• माहेश्वरी: Apposition (to देवी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहेश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; देवी-विशेष-नाम

• नरैः: by men/people
• नरैः: Kartr/Agent (worshippers as agents in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, तृतीया (Instrumental)

• वृषयानवती: having a bull as her vehicle
• वृषयानवती: Visheshana (Qualifier of माहेश्वरी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृष-यान-वती (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; तत्पुरुषसमासः (वृषः=वृषभः + यानम्) + वती-प्रत्यय (possessing)

• पूज्या: worthy to be worshipped
• पूज्या: Predicate adjective
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) → पूज्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: ‘to be worshipped’)

• महावृषसमृद्धिदा: giver of great prosperity of bulls (cattle)
• महावृषसमृद्धिदा: Visheshana (Qualifier of देवी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावृष-समृद्धि-दा (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; तत्पुरुषसमासः (महावृषस्य समृद्धिः) + दा (ददाति इति) बहुपद-समासप्रातिपदिक

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maheśvara-sannidhi Māheśvarī-darśana (south of Maheśvara)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A shrine south of Maheśvara: Māheśvarī Devī poised and regal, mounted on a bull, devotees offering lamps; the bull emblem evokes dharma and strength.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara
• Māheśvarī
• Kāśī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approaching the Devī in her localized Kāśī form and performing pūjā is affirmed as dharmic action that yields tangible and spiritual prosperity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The southern vicinity of Maheśvara in Kāśī, where Māheśvarī is worshipped.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā of Māheśvarī (Śiva-śakti) specifically at her southern shrine/location near Maheśvara.