Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

एवमेता महाशक्त्यश्चतस्रः संस्थिताः सदा । पूजिताः कामदा नित्यं रुष्टाः संहरणक्षमाः

Transliteration

evametā mahāśaktyaścatasraḥ saṃsthitāḥ sadā | pūjitāḥ kāmadā nityaṃ ruṣṭāḥ saṃharaṇakṣamāḥ

Translation

ଏହିପରି ଏହି ଚାରି ମହାଶକ୍ତି ସଦା ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠିତ ରହନ୍ତି। ପୂଜିତ ହେଲେ ନିତ୍ୟ ଇଚ୍ଛିତ ବର ଦିଅନ୍ତି; କ୍ରୁଦ୍ଧ ହେଲେ ସଂହାର କରିବାକୁ ସମର୍ଥ।

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), प्रकारवाचक (manner-adverb)

• etāḥ: these (f.)
• etāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• mahāśaktyaḥ: great powers
• mahāśaktyaḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (महाशक्तयः = महत्यः शक्तयः)

• catasraḥ: four
• catasraḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण

• saṃsthitāḥ: are established
• saṃsthitāḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam + √sthā (स्था) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; अर्थः ‘स्थिताः/स्थापिताः’

• sadā: always
• sadā: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (time-adverb)

• pūjitāḥ: when worshipped / worshipped
• pūjitāḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √pūj (पूज्) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मणि-भावः ‘पूजिताः’

• kāmadāḥ: wish-granting
• kāmadāḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma + dā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (कामाṃ ददाति इति)

• nityam: always, continually
• nityam: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयोगः; अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• ruṣṭāḥ: when angered / angry
• ruṣṭāḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ruṣ (रुष्) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; अर्थः ‘क्रुद्धाः’

• saṃharaṇakṣamāḥ: capable of destruction
• saṃharaṇakṣamāḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃharaṇa + kṣama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (संहरणे क्षमाः)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/Devas (contextual audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four radiant Mahāśaktis stand established like cosmic pillars—benevolent when worshipped, terrible when angered—surrounded by a halo of mantra-fire and protective weapons.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāśakti (four forms of Devī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śakti responds to human conduct: reverent worship yields blessings, while disrespect invites spiritual and worldly ruin.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the verse generalizes the power of established Śakti-sthānas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular pūjā (worship) is recommended implicitly as the means to receive kāma/phala (desired results).