Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

मेरुवासिनि पिंगाक्षि नेत्रत्राणैककारिणि । हुंहुंकारध्वस्तदैत्ये शरण्ये शरणं भव

Transliteration

meruvāsini piṃgākṣi netratrāṇaikakāriṇi | huṃhuṃkāradhvastadaitye śaraṇye śaraṇaṃ bhava

Translation

ഹേ മേരുവാസിനി, ഹേ പിംഗാക്ഷി, നേത്രസംരക്ഷണമേ ഏകകർമ്മമായവളേ! ‘ഹും ഹും’ നാദത്തിൽ ദൈത്യരെ ധ്വംസിച്ച ശരണ്യേ—നീ തന്നേ എനിക്ക് ശരണം ആകേണമേ।

Word by Word

• मेरुवासिनि: O dweller on Mount Meru
• मेरुवासिनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु-वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक; वासिन्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; ‘मेरौ वसति’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासः (meru-dweller, vocative sg.)

• पिङ्गाक्षि: O tawny-eyed one
• पिङ्गाक्षि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिङ्ग-अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः (pale/brown-eyed, vocative sg.)

• नेत्रत्राणैककारिणि: O sole protector of the eyes
• नेत्रत्राणैककारिणि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र-त्राण-एक-कारिणी (प्रातिपदिक; कारिणी-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; समासः (नेत्राणां त्राणम् = protection of eyes; तस्य एकः कारिणी = sole doer)

• हुंहुंकारध्वस्तदैत्ये: O destroyer of demons by the huṃhuṃkāra
• हुंहुंकारध्वस्तदैत्ये: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुंहुंकार-ध्वस्त-दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; समासः (huṃhuṃkāra- by the ‘huṃ huṃ’ cry; dhvasta- destroyed; daitya- demons)

• शरण्ये: O refuge-giver
• शरण्ये: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन (O refuge-giver)

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन (as predicate/goal: refuge)

• भव: be (become)
• भव: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (be!)

Speaker

A Pāṇḍava devotee

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A supplicant with folded hands invokes the tawny-eyed Devī seated upon/near Meru; her uttered ‘huṃ huṃ’ radiates as sound-waves that shatter fleeing daityas; the atmosphere is protective and awe-filled, with a focus on the eyes (healing/guarding).

Characters & Entities

• Meru
• Devī
• Daitya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine protection is portrayed as both compassionate (healing) and fierce (destroying demonic forces) through mantra-like power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mount Meru is referenced as the Devi’s abode, but no pilgrimage site on earth is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is prescribed; the verse emphasizes mantraic invocation (‘huṃhuṃ’) and seeking refuge.