Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

संस्थाप्य देवतां दुर्गां श्रद्धया परया युताः । बलिपूजोपहारैस्तां पूजयंत्यः सुरेश्वरीम्

Transliteration

saṃsthāpya devatāṃ durgāṃ śraddhayā parayā yutāḥ | balipūjopahāraistāṃ pūjayaṃtyaḥ sureśvarīm

Translation

അവർ പരമശ്രദ്ധയോടെ ദുർഗാദേവിയെ സ്ഥാപിച്ച്, ബലി, പൂജ, ഉപഹാരങ്ങൾ എന്നിവകൊണ്ട് ആ സുരേശ്വരിയെ ആരാധിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• संस्थाप्य: having installed
• संस्थाप्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्थापय् (धातु; णिच्) + त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having installed/established)

• देवताम्: the deity
• देवताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दुर्गाम्: Durgā
• दुर्गाम्: Karma (Apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; देवताया विशेषनाम

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परया: supreme, great
• परया: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (श्रद्धया)

• युताः: endowed (with)
• युताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (सम्बन्धे) ‘युक्ताः’ = endowed; (ताः स्त्रियः इति अर्थे स्त्रीलिङ्गे ‘युक्ताः/युक्ताः’ पाठभेदः सम्भवः)

• बलिपूजोपहारैः: with offerings, worship, and gifts
• बलिपूजोपहारैः: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक) + उपहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (बलयः च पूजाः च उपहाराः च)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पूजयन्त्यः: worshipping
• पूजयन्त्यः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु) + शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सुरेश्वरीम्: the Lady of the gods
• सुरेश्वरीम्: Karma (Apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सुराणाम् ईश्वरी)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice within Tīrthamāhātmya; speaker not explicit in the snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Durgā/Saptaviṃśatikā-sthāna (within the kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas/ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The nakṣatra maidens perform a solemn Devī-pratiṣṭhā: a Durgā image is set upon a pedestal; lamps blaze; offerings, bali, and upahāras are arranged; the goddess appears resplendent as Surēśvarī, accepting worship.

Characters & Entities

• Durgā
• Sureśvarī (Devī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In a tīrtha-kṣetra, sincere śraddhā expressed through proper worship draws the compassionate attention of the Goddess.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate glorification is of the kṣetra as a place where Devī can be installed and worshipped effectively; the site name is not stated in the verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Devī-saṃsthāpana (installation), followed by pūjā with bali (offerings) and upahāra (gifts).