Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

ततस्तस्याः शरीरात्तु स्त्री सुनीलांबुजत्विषा । निर्गता साभवद्भीमा घंटाहस्ता त्रिलोचना

Transliteration

tatastasyāḥ śarīrāttu strī sunīlāṃbujatviṣā | nirgatā sābhavadbhīmā ghaṃṭāhastā trilocanā

Translation

അപ്പോൾ അവളുടെ ശരീരത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ഗാഢനീല താമരയുടെ തിളക്കമുള്ള ഒരു സ്ത്രീ ഉദ്ഭവിച്ചു; അവൾ ഭീമരൂപിണി, ത്രിനേത്രി, കൈയിൽ ഘണ്ട പിടിച്ചവളായി പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെട്ടു.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; तदनन्तर-कालवाचकः (then)

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• शरीरात्: from the body
• शरीरात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (5th/Ablative), एकवचनम्

• तु: indeed, however
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अवधान/विरोधसूचक-निपातः (emphatic/contrast particle)

• स्त्री: a woman
• स्त्री: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• सुनीलाम्बुजत्विषा: with the radiance of a deep-blue lotus
• सुनीलाम्बुजत्विषा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + नील + अम्बुज + त्विष् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचनम्; विशेषणरूपेण—‘सुनीलाम्बुजस्य त्विषा’ (with the lustre of a very blue lotus)

• निर्गता: emerged
• निर्गता: Kriya (Predicative action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर् + गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/कर्तरि कृदन्तः (PPP used adjectivally), स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘gone out/emerged’

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• भीमा: terrible, formidable
• भीमा: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• घण्टाहस्ता: having a bell in her hand
• घण्टाहस्ता: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घण्टा + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः—‘घण्टा हस्ते यस्याः सा’ (she who has a bell in her hand)

• त्रिलोचना: three-eyed
• त्रिलोचना: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः—‘त्रीणि लोचनानि यस्याः सा’

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa, per Māheśvarakhaṇḍa convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: From Devī’s body emerges a formidable goddess: deep-blue lotus sheen, three eyes, holding a bell—an awe-inspiring protective manifestation, poised and powerful.

Characters & Entities

• Devī (manifest form)
• Pārvatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devī’s power manifests outwardly when dharma requires protection—her appearance signals divine intervention against adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse; it describes the goddess’s manifestation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a descriptive narrative of the goddess’s form and attributes.