Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

चतस्रस्तु महाशक्त्यश्चतुर्दिक्षु व्यवस्थिताः । सिद्धांबिका तु पूर्वस्यां स्थापिता सा गुहेन च

Transliteration

catasrastu mahāśaktyaścaturdikṣu vyavasthitāḥ | siddhāṃbikā tu pūrvasyāṃ sthāpitā sā guhena ca

Translation

നാലു ദിക്കുകളിലും നാലു മഹാശക്തികൾ സ്ഥാപിക്കപ്പെട്ടു. അവയിൽ കിഴക്കുദിക്കിൽ സിദ്ധാംബികയെ സ്വയം ഗുഹ (സ്കന്ദൻ) പ്രതിഷ്ഠിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• चतस्रः: four
• चतस्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतस् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• महाशक्त्यः: great powers (goddesses)
• महाशक्त्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाशक्ति (प्रातिपदिक); महा + शक्ति (समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• चतुर्दिक्षु: in the four directions
• चतुर्दिक्षु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + दिक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• व्यवस्थिताः: are stationed
• व्यवस्थिताः: Karta (Predicate participle/कर्तृसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अर्थे—स्थिताः (stationed)

• सिद्धाम्बिका: Siddhāmbikā
• सिद्धाम्बिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धा + अम्बिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषार्थक-अव्यय

• पूर्वस्याम्: in the east
• पूर्वस्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; दिक्-विशेषे (in the eastern direction)

• स्थापिता: was installed
• स्थापिता: Karta (Predicate participle/कर्तृसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थे—प्रतिष्ठिता (installed)

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

• गुहेन: by Guha (Kārttikeya)
• गुहेन: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह (प्रातिपदिक; देव-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

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

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating the Kaumārikā-khaṇḍa tradition

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Siddhāmbikā (eastern śakti-sthāna)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Skanda (Guha) performs a consecration in the eastern quarter, placing a Devi icon/yantra of Siddhāmbikā; three other Shaktis appear faintly in the remaining directions, forming a protective square/mandala around the kṣetra.

Characters & Entities

• Guha
• Skanda
• Siddhāmbikā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine order is upheld through Śakti; Skanda’s installation of powers in the directions teaches sacred guardianship of the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse emphasizes directional sanctification rather than naming a specific tīrtha; it frames a sacred-geography motif within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed; the verse is descriptive of divine स्थापना (installation).