Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

यदा शीकोत्तरस्थेन पार्वत्या प्रार्थितेन च । रुद्रेण डाकिनीमंत्रः प्रोक्तो देव्याः कृपालुना

Transliteration

yadā śīkottarasthena pārvatyā prārthitena ca | rudreṇa ḍākinīmaṃtraḥ prokto devyāḥ kṛpālunā

Translation

ശീകോത്തരത്തിൽ പാർവതി പ്രാർത്ഥിച്ചപ്പോൾ, ദേവിയോടു കരുണയുള്ള രുദ്രൻ ദേവിക്കായി ഡാകിനീ-മന്ത്രം ഉപദേശിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kāla-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय; temporal adverb 'when'

• शीकोत्तर-स्थेन: by (Rudra) dwelling in Śīkottara
• शीकोत्तर-स्थेन: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrument/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीकोत्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक; from √स्था)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by the one situated in Śīkottara)

• पार्वत्या: by Pārvatī
• पार्वत्या: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrument/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by Pārvatī)

• प्रार्थितेन: having been requested
• प्रार्थितेन: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-आर्थ्/प्रार्थय् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त, पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (having been requested)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय; conjunction

• रुद्रेण: by Rudra
• रुद्रेण: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by Rudra)

• डाकिनी-मंत्रः: the ḍākinī-mantra
• डाकिनी-मंत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: डाकिनी (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (the ḍākinī-mantra)

• प्रोक्तः: was spoken
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-√वच् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'was spoken/declared'

• देव्याः: to the Goddess
• देव्याः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative singular (to the Goddess)

• कृपालुना: by the compassionate (Rudra)
• कृपालुना: Kartr (Agent qualifier/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृपालु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by the compassionate one)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa), contextually narrating to sages

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śīkottara

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Śīkottara, Pārvatī prays; Rudra, compassionate, instructs her in the Ḍākinī-mantra. The scene is intimate: a sacred grove or shrine, with subtle signs of esoteric transmission (whispered teaching, rosary, fire).

Characters & Entities

• Śīkottara
• Pārvatī
• Rudra
• Ḍākinī-mantra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine knowledge (mantra) is transmitted through humility and prayer; compassion (kṛpā) is central to Śiva’s bestowal of power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śīkottara is highlighted as the setting for this mantra-teaching episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Mantra-upadeśa is referenced; the verse points to japa/upāsanā of the Ḍākinī-mantra in the broader narrative.