Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

त्वया कात्यायनी प्रोक्ता चामुण्डा च सुरेश्वरी । श्रीमाता च समुत्पन्ना किमर्थं च सुरेश्वरी

Transliteration

tvayā kātyāyanī proktā cāmuṇḍā ca sureśvarī | śrīmātā ca samutpannā kimarthaṃ ca sureśvarī

Translation

നീ കാത്യായനിയെയും ദേവാധിപതിയായ ചാമുണ്ഡാ സുരേശ്വരിയെയും, ശ്രീമാതാവിന്റെ അവതാരവും പറഞ്ഞുവല്ലോ. എന്നാൽ ഈ സുരേശ്വരി (കേലീശ്വരി) ഏതു ലക്ഷ്യത്താൽ ഉദ്ഭവിച്ചു?

Word by Word

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-प्रयोगे (त्वद्), तृतीया (करण/सह), एकवचन — Instrumental singular (by you)

• कात्यायनी: Kātyāyanī
• कात्यायनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कात्यायनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Feminine nominative singular

• प्रोक्ता: declared/spoken (as)
• प्रोक्ता: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Past passive participle: “was spoken/declared”

• चामुण्डा: Cāmuṇḍā
• चामुण्डा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चामुण्डा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Feminine nominative singular

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

• सुरेश्वरी: Sureśvarī
• सुरेश्वरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरेश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Feminine nominative singular

• श्रीमाता: Śrīmātā (the auspicious Mother)
• श्रीमाता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + माता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Feminine nominative singular; कर्मधारयः: ‘श्रीः एव माता’

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

• समुत्पन्ना: arisen/manifested
• समुत्पन्ना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+उत्+पद् (धातु) → समुत्पन्न (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Past participle: “arisen/manifested”

• किमर्थम्: why/for what purpose
• किमर्थम्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb); तत्पुरुषः: ‘कस्य अर्थः’ → “for what purpose/why”

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

• सुरेश्वरी: O Sureśvarī
• सुरेश्वरी: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरेश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Feminine nominative singular (vocative sense possible in address)

Speaker

Ṛṣis (Sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kelīśvarī/Sureśvarī-sthāna (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sūtanandana (son of Sūta) addressed by sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A seated assembly of sages/questions posed to the Sūta’s son: the listeners enumerate Devī-forms already narrated and ask the specific ‘why’ behind the arising of Sureśvarī/Kelīśvarī; palm-leaf manuscripts and a tīrtha backdrop suggested.

Characters & Entities

• Kātyāyanī
• Cāmuṇḍā
• Śrīmātā
• Sureśvarī (Kelīśvarī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic vision honors many forms of Devī, each manifesting for a distinct cosmic and local purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The question prepares the narration of Kelīśvarī’s localized māhātmya—her particular shrine and its spiritual efficacy.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it requests doctrinal and narrative clarification about the goddess’s manifestation.