Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

ततो ब्रह्मादयो देवाः स्कंदेन सहितास्तदा । सिद्धांबिकां महाशक्तिं प्रार्थयामासुरीश्वरीम्

Transliteration

tato brahmādayo devāḥ skaṃdena sahitāstadā | siddhāṃbikāṃ mahāśaktiṃ prārthayāmāsurīśvarīm

Translation

അപ്പോൾ സ്കന്ദനോടുകൂടി ബ്രഹ്മാദി ദേവന്മാർ മഹാശക്തിയായ അധീശ്വരി സിദ്ധാംബികയെ പ്രാർത്ഥിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (then/thereafter)

• ब्रह्मादयः: Brahmā and others
• ब्रह्मादयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha; ब्रह्मा आदिः येषां = beginning with Brahmā); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• स्कन्देन: with Skanda
• स्कन्देन: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सहिताः: accompanied (together)
• सहिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier of देवाः/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सह + इ धातु/सह-भाव)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तदा: at that time
• तदा: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then/at that time)

• सिद्धाम्बिकाम्: Siddhāmbikā
• सिद्धाम्बिकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (Karmadharaya; सिद्धा अम्बिका = the accomplished Mother-goddess); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• महाशक्तिम्: the great Power (Goddess)
• महाशक्तिम्: Karma (Apposition to सिद्धाम्बिकाम्/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (Karmadharaya; महती शक्ति:); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रार्थयामासुः: they entreated/prayed to
• प्रार्थयामासुः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अर्थय् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपद

• ईश्वरीम्: the Goddess, the sovereign lady
• ईश्वरीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa Sūta (deduced from section context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Siddhāmbikā-kṣetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine assembly: Brahmā and devas stand with Skanda, hands folded, offering hymns to Siddhāmbikā—radiant, sovereign, and powerfully protective.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Devas
• Skanda
• Siddhāmbikā
• Mahāśakti (Goddess)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the gods seek the supreme Śakti; divine success is portrayed as arising from worship and supplication to the Goddess.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within this chapter’s tīrtha framework, the narrative expands to include the local/enshrined Goddess Siddhāmbikā revered alongside Siddheśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed here; it introduces stuti/prayer to Siddhāmbikā Mahāśakti.