Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

लज्जा शांतिः स्मृतिर्दक्षा क्षमा गौरी च रोहिणी । सिनीवाली कुहू राका देवमाता दितिस्तथा

Transliteration

lajjā śāṃtiḥ smṛtirdakṣā kṣamā gaurī ca rohiṇī | sinīvālī kuhū rākā devamātā ditistathā

Translation

Engkaulah malu-santun dan kedamaian; Engkaulah ingatan dan kemahiran; Engkaulah kesabaran dan kemaafan. Engkaulah Gaurī dan Rohiṇī; Engkaulah Sinīvālī, Kuhū dan Rākā (fasa-fasa bulan), dan Engkaulah Devamātā, demikian juga Diti.

Word by Word

• लज्जा: modesty
• लज्जा: Pradhāna-nāma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लज्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्

• शान्तिः: peace
• शान्तिः: Pradhāna-nāma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्

• स्मृतिः: memory
• स्मृतिः: Pradhāna-nāma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्

• दक्षा: skillful
• दक्षा: Pradhāna-nāma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; (दक्ष-शब्दस्य स्त्रीरूपम्)

• क्षमा: forbearance
• क्षमा: Pradhāna-nāma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्

• गौरी: Gaurī
• गौरी: Pradhāna-nāma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• रोहिणी: Rohiṇī
• रोहिणी: Pradhāna-nāma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोहिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्

• सिनीवाली: Sinīvālī (new-moon deity)
• सिनीवाली: Pradhāna-nāma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिनीवाली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्

• कुहू: Kuhū (lunar day/deity)
• कुहू: Pradhāna-nāma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुहू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्

• राका: Rākā (full-moon deity)
• राका: Pradhāna-nāma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्

• देवमाता: mother of the gods
• देवमाता: Pradhāna-nāma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + माता/मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां माता)

• दितिः: Diti
• दितिः: Pradhāna-nāma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्

• तथा: also, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय/उपमानार्थ-प्रयोगः (also/likewise)

Speaker

A king (bhūbhuj) praising Goddess Sarasvatī (deduced from immediate context; Sarasvatī speaks in 34)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī is praised as modesty, peace, memory, skill, and forgiveness, while above her the moon cycles through Sinīvālī, Kuhū, and Rākā—three lunar aspects—suggesting sacred time revolving around her.

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī
• Gaurī
• Rohiṇī
• Sinīvālī
• Kuhū
• Rākā
• Devamātā (Aditi)
• Diti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine power is not separate from ethics and inner cultivation—peace, memory, skill, and forgiveness are themselves forms of the Goddess.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader passage belongs to a tīrtha-māhātmya setting, but this verse focuses on Devī’s cosmic identities (including lunar phases) rather than naming a location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is commanded; the mention of lunar phases hints at sacred timing (tithi) awareness for worship and vows.