Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

समातृगणभूयिष्ठा सयक्षोरगराक्षसा । ततो देवी महादेवं विवेश हरिलोचना

Transliteration

samātṛgaṇabhūyiṣṭhā sayakṣoragarākṣasā | tato devī mahādevaṃ viveśa harilocanā

Translation

ତେବେ ମାତୃଗଣମାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ପ୍ରଧାନତଃ ପରିବେଷ୍ଟିତା, ଯକ୍ଷ, ଉରଗ ଓ ରାକ୍ଷସମାନଙ୍କ ସହିତ ପଦ୍ମନୟନୀ ଦେବୀ ମହାଦେବଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ପ୍ରବେଶ କଲେ।

Word by Word

• स-मातृ-गण-भूयिष्ठा: abounding with groups of Mothers (Mātṛs)
• स-मातृ-गण-भूयिष्ठा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (प्रातिपदिक/उपसर्गवत् ‘सह’) + मातृ (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक) + भूयिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मातृगणेन सह भूयिष्ठा = मातृगण-बहुला)

• स-यक्ष-उरग-राक्षसा: together with Yakṣas, serpents, and Rākṣasas
• स-यक्ष-उरग-राक्षसा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (प्रातिपदिक ‘सह’) + यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + उरग (प्रातिपदिक) + राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (यक्ष-उरग-राक्षसैः सह)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—अवधारण/क्रमसूचक क्रियाविशेषण (then/thereupon)

• देवी: the Goddess
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva
• महादेवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• विवेश: entered
• विवेश: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्गः—वि

• हरि-लोचना: she whose eyes are like Hari’s (Viṣṇu’s) / lotus-like
• हरि-लोचना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + लोचना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (हरिवत् लोचने यस्याः)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā / Narmadā (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Harilocanā Devī, lotus-eyed, approaches Mahādeva amid a swirling host of Mātṛkās; yakṣas, nāgas, and rākṣasas form a protective, otherworldly procession; Devī dissolves into Śiva’s form like light entering a flame.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Mahādeva
• Mātṛgaṇa
• Yakṣa
• Uraga
• Rākṣasa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It teaches Śiva–Śakti unity: the Goddess and Mahādeva are inseparable powers within the one sacred reality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it highlights divine union within the broader Revākhaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it is theological narration.