Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

दोषत्रयसमाक्रान्त जननैः श्रेयसप्रदा । महालक्ष्मीर्महाकालीमहादेवी महेश्वरी

Transliteration

doṣatrayasamākrānta jananaiḥ śreyasapradā | mahālakṣmīrmahākālīmahādevī maheśvarī

Translation

ତ୍ରିଦୋଷରେ ଆକ୍ରାନ୍ତ ଦେହଧାରୀ ଜନଙ୍କୁ ତୁମେ ଶ୍ରେୟ ଓ କଲ୍ୟାଣ ଦେଉଛ। ତୁମେ ମହାଲକ୍ଷ୍ମୀ, ମହାକାଳୀ, ମହାଦେବୀ—ମହେଶ୍ୱରୀ, ପରମାଧୀଶ୍ୱରୀ।

Word by Word

• doṣa-traya-samākrāntā: afflicted by the three faults
• doṣa-traya-samākrāntā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: doṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (त्रय प्रातिपदिक) + sam-ā-√kram (क्रम् धातु) (कृदन्त: क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (दोषत्रय) + उपपद-तत्पुरुष (…-समाक्रान्त); क्त-कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (feminine nominative singular; overpowered/afflicted by the three दोष-s)

• jananaiḥ: by births, by begettings
• jananaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janana (जनन प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन (neuter instrumental plural)

• śreyasa-pradā: bestowing welfare
• śreyasa-pradā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreyas (श्रेयस् प्रातिपदिक) + pra-√dā (दा धातु) (कृदन्त: ट/ण्वुल्-प्रायः ‘प्रदा’)
• Form: तत्पुरुष; कृदन्त (प्रदा = giving); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (feminine nominative singular)

• mahā-lakṣmīḥ: Mahālakṣmī
• mahā-lakṣmīḥ: Pradhāna-nāma (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣmī (लक्ष्मी प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (feminine nominative singular; epithet)

• mahā-kālī: Mahākālī
• mahā-kālī: Pradhāna-nāma (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + kālī (काली प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (feminine nominative singular; epithet)

• mahā-devī: Mahādevī
• mahā-devī: Pradhāna-nāma (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + devī (देवी प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (feminine nominative singular; epithet)

• maheśvarī: Maheśvarī
• maheśvarī: Pradhāna-nāma (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvarī (महेश्वरी प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (feminine nominative singular; epithet)

Speaker

Devas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī manifests in a composite tri-form: Lakṣmī-like auspiciousness, Kālī-like transformative power, and Mahādevī’s regal sovereignty; devotees with ailments and worries receive blessing, turning toward welfare.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Mahālakṣmī
• Mahākālī
• Mahādevī
• Maheśvarī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when beings are bound by fundamental faults, devotion to Devī leads to śreyas—true well-being and spiritual uplift.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No location is specified in this verse; it strengthens the māhātmya by invoking Devī’s universal salvific power.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicit; the verse functions as nāma-stuti (praise through divine names).