Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

नक्षत्राणि ग्रहाश्चैव जंगमं स्थावरं तथा । मातरश्च महादेवमनुजग्मुः क्षुधान्विताः

Transliteration

nakṣatrāṇi grahāścaiva jaṃgamaṃ sthāvaraṃ tathā | mātaraśca mahādevamanujagmuḥ kṣudhānvitāḥ

Translation

Gugusan bintang dan planet-planet juga, yang bergerak dan yang tidak bergerak; para Ibu Dewi (Mātṛ) mengikuti Mahādeva, didorong oleh kelaparan yang dahsyat.

Word by Word

• नक्षत्राणि: constellations
• नक्षत्राणि: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Neuter, Nom, Plural)

• ग्रहाः: planets
• ग्रहाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nom, Plural)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (particle: indeed/just)

• जङ्गमम्: the moving (creatures)
• जङ्गमम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular); ‘moving beings’ (collective)

• स्थावरम्: the immobile (things)
• स्थावरम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थावर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular); ‘immobile beings’ (collective)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: likewise/also)

• मातरः: mothers (Mātṛs)
• मातरः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Feminine, Nom, Plural)

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

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva
• महादेवम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masculine, Acc, Singular)

• अनुजग्मुः: followed
• अनुजग्मुः: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्ण), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (Perfect, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural)

• क्षुधान्विताः: endowed with hunger
• क्षुधान्विताः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधा + अन्वित (अन् धातु + क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nom, Plural)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic procession where nakṣatras and grahas appear as radiant deities in the sky; below, animals, humans, trees, mountains (jaṅgama-sthāvara) lean forward as if drawn; the Mātṛkās follow Mahādeva with fierce, hungry intensity.

Characters & Entities

• Nakṣatras
• Grahas
• Jaṅgama
• Sthāvara
• Mātṛs (Mothers/Mātṛkās)
• Mahādeva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic forces (grahas, nakṣatras) and all beings are shown as subordinate to Mahādeva; even fierce powers like the Mothers are integrated into divine governance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified; the verse emphasizes cosmic participation rather than a pilgrimage location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the line about hunger characterizes the Mātṛs’ fierce nature, not a ritual instruction.