Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 180

Devanagari script

शिलादतनयोप्यैशीं मूर्द्धन्याज्ञां विधाय च । आहूय सर्वतो दुर्गाः प्रतिदुर्गं न्यवेशयत्

Transliteration

śilādatanayopyaiśīṃ mūrddhanyājñāṃ vidhāya ca | āhūya sarvato durgāḥ pratidurgaṃ nyaveśayat

Translation

Даже сын Шилады, издав это высочайшее повеление как установление для всех, призвал со всех сторон богинь-хранительниц и разместил их — одну за другой — у каждой крепости, дабы охранять священную область.

Word by Word

• शिलादतनयः: the son of Śilāda
• शिलादतनयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिलाद-तनय (प्रातिपदिक; शिलादस्य तनयः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष समास

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/बल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• ऐशीम्: divine, of the Lord
• ऐशीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऐशी (प्रातिपदिक; ईश-सम्बन्धिनी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (आज्ञाम् इति)

• मूर्द्धन्य: (placed) on the head; head-related
• मूर्द्धन्य: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्द्धन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (आज्ञाम् इति)

• आज्ञाम्: command, order
• आज्ञाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विधाय: having performed/placed
• विधाय: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया—"having done/placed"

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• आहूय: having called/summoned
• आहूय: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ह्वा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया—"having summoned"

• सर्वतः: from all sides, everywhere
• सर्वतः: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• दुर्गाः: (the) Durgās (goddesses)
• दुर्गाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• प्रति-दुर्गम्: at each fort/stronghold
• प्रति-दुर्गम्: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial)

• न्यवेशयत्: he placed/installed
• न्यवेशयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-वि-श् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda (contextual attribution within Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nandin/Śiva’s agent issues a supreme ordinance; protective Durgās arrive from the directions and take posts at each ‘fort’ or boundary-point of Avimukta, forming a ring of śakti around the sacred city.

Characters & Entities

• Śilāda
• Nandī
• Durgā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places are protected by divine order; dharma is upheld through appointed guardians who preserve the sanctity of the kṣetra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider sacred domain of Kāśī/Avimukta is implied, described as being guarded through divine fortifications.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed here; the verse describes divine appointment and protection rather than a human rite.