Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

सर्वदुःखप्रशमनी सर्वशत्रुक्षयंकरी । पूजनीया विधानेन कृष्णाष्टम्यां महानिशि । गन्धैः पुष्पैस्तथा धूपैः क्रव्यैर्बलिभिरेव च

Transliteration

sarvaduḥkhapraśamanī sarvaśatrukṣayaṃkarī | pūjanīyā vidhānena kṛṣṇāṣṭamyāṃ mahāniśi | gandhaiḥ puṣpaistathā dhūpaiḥ kravyairbalibhireva ca

Translation

സകല ദുഃഖവും ശമിപ്പിക്കുകയും സർവ്വശത്രുക്കളെയും ക്ഷയിപ്പിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്ന അവളെ കൃഷ്ണപക്ഷ അഷ്ടമിയുടെ മഹാനിശയിൽ വിധിപ്രകാരം പൂജിക്കണം—ഗന്ധം, പുഷ്പം, ധൂപം, മാംസനൈവേദ്യം, ബലി അർപ്പണങ്ങൾ എന്നിവയോടെ।

Word by Word

• सर्वदुःखप्रशमनी: remover of all sorrows
• सर्वदुःखप्रशमनी: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + दुःख + प्रशमनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘देवी’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां दुःखानां प्रशमनं करोतीति)

• सर्वशत्रुक्षयंकरī: causing the destruction of all enemies
• सर्वशत्रुक्षयंकरī: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + शत्रु + क्षय + करī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘देवी’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वशत्रूणां क्षयं करोतीति)

• पूजनीया: worthy to be worshipped
• पूजनीया: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृदन्त)
• Form: अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त विध्यर्थक कृदन्त (gerundive); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘देवी’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (to be worshipped)

• विधानेन: by the prescribed rite
• विधानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; प्रकार/विधि-साधनम् (by the prescribed method)

• कृष्णाष्टम्याम्: on the eighth day of the dark fortnight
• कृष्णाष्टम्याम्: Adhikarana (Time-locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण + अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कृष्णपक्षस्य अष्टमी)

• महानिशि: in the great night
• महानिशि: Adhikarana (Time-locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘महती निशा’

• गन्धैः: with fragrances
• गन्धैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पुष्पैः: with flowers
• पुष्पैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/उपमानार्थक (also/likewise)

• धूपैः: with incense
• धूपैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• क्रव्यैः: with meat offerings
• क्रव्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्रव्य = मांस/आमिष (flesh offerings)

• बलिभिः: with oblations (bali offerings)
• बलिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (indeed/just)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahākālī Mahāpīṭha (Prabhāsa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mahākālī as sorrow-dispeller and enemy-destroyer is worshipped on kṛṣṇa-pakṣa aṣṭamī at deep night with gandha, puṣpa, dhūpa, and bali offerings; the shrine glows with lamps amid a tense, protective atmosphere.

Characters & Entities

• Mahākālī
• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Devī
• Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī
• Mahāniśā
• Prabhāsakṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Goddess is portrayed as a protective power whose worship—performed with prescribed discipline—removes suffering and obstacles.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mahākālī’s Mahāpīṭha within Prabhāsakṣetra, a localized center of Śakti worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship Mahākālī on Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī during the great night using gandha, puṣpa, dhūpa, and bali offerings (including kravyā offerings as stated).