Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

वैतालाः क्षेत्रपालाश्च बुभुजुः कृतभाजनाः । शाकिनी डाकिनी चैव यक्षिण्यो मातृकादयः

Transliteration

vaitālāḥ kṣetrapālāśca bubhujuḥ kṛtabhājanāḥ | śākinī ḍākinī caiva yakṣiṇyo mātṛkādayaḥ

Translation

വൈതാലന്മാരും ക്ഷേത്രപാലന്മാരും വിധിപൂർവ്വം നൽകിയ പങ്ക് സ്വീകരിച്ച് ഭുജിച്ചു; അതുപോലെ ശാകിനി, ഡാകിനി, യക്ഷിണികൾ, മാതൃകാദികളും ഭുജിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• वैतालाः: Vetālas
• वैतालाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• क्षेत्रपालाः: guardians of the sacred place
• क्षेत्रपालाः: Karta (Co-subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्रपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

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

• बुभुजुः: they ate/enjoyed
• बुभुजुः: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद (3rd person plural)

• कृतभाजनाः: with prepared vessels
• कृतभाजनाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत+भाजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘कृतं भाजनं येषाम्’ (having prepared vessels)

• शाकिनी: Śākinī
• शाकिनी: Karta (Listed entity)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाकिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• डाकिनी: Ḍākinī
• डाकिनी: Karta (Listed entity)
• Type: Noun
• Root: डाकिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-बोधक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• यक्षिण्यः: Yakṣiṇīs
• यक्षिण्यः: Karta (Listed entity)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्षिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Plural)

• मातृकादयः: the Mothers and others
• मातृकादयः: Karta (Listed entity)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृका+आदि (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘मातृकाः आदयः’ (the Mothers and others)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Liminal beings—vaitālas and kṣetrapālas—are shown receiving their duly served portions; nearby are śākinīs, ḍākinīs, yakṣiṇīs, and mātṛkās, forming a protective ring around the sacred precinct.

Characters & Entities

• Vaitāla
• Kṣetrapāla
• Śākinī
• Ḍākinī
• Yakṣiṇī
• Mātṛkā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A kṣetra is upheld by many protective and liminal powers; honoring them in dharmic order safeguards the sanctity of pilgrimage and worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra, where kṣetrapālas and attendant powers are integral to the site’s sacred protection.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse indicates the customary serving of offerings to kṣetrapālas and attendant beings as part of a complete kṣetra-ritual observance.