Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

अष्टादशभुजा सा तु शुभा माता सुशोभना । धनुर्बाणधरा देवी खड्गखेटकधारिणी

Transliteration

aṣṭādaśabhujā sā tu śubhā mātā suśobhanā | dhanurbāṇadharā devī khaḍgakheṭakadhāriṇī

Translation

ती शुभा, सुशोभना माता अठरा भुजांची होती। देवी धनुष्य-बाण धारण करी आणि खड्ग व खेटक (ढाल)ही बाळगी।

Word by Word

• अष्टादश: eighteen
• अष्टादश: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टादश (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग) — ‘eighteen’

• भुजा: armed (with arms)
• भुजा: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular; समासान्त-रूप ‘having arms’

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• शुभा: auspicious
• शुभा: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• माता: mother
• माता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• सुशोभना: very beautiful
• सुशोभना: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• बाण: arrow
• बाण: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• धरा: holding
• धरा: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √धृ (धातु) + अ (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्तरि-प्रातिपदिक, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘bearing/holding’

• देवी: goddess
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• खड्ग: sword
• खड्ग: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खड्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• खेटक: shield
• खेटक: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खेटक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• धारिणी: bearing/holding
• धारिणी: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √धृ (धातु) + णिनि (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्तरि कृदन्त (णिनि), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘bearer/holder’

Speaker

Vyāsa (narrative voice implied in this passage)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya (Mātaṅgī-sthāna)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The radiant Mother stands splendid with eighteen arms, holding bow and arrows, sword and shield; her posture is protective, ready to subdue adharma.

Characters & Entities

• Devī (Śrī Mātā/Mātaṅgī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Many-armed divine forms symbolize complete capability—protection, justice, and restoration of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Dharmāraṇya setting continues; this verse emphasizes the Goddess’ form rather than a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the content is iconographic and narrative.