Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

जालन्धरे विश्वमुखी तारा किष्किन्धपर्वते । देवदारुवने पुष्टिर्मेधा काश्मीरमण्डले

Transliteration

jālandhare viśvamukhī tārā kiṣkindhaparvate | devadāruvane puṣṭirmedhā kāśmīramaṇḍale

Translation

జాలంధరంలో ఆమె ‘విశ్వముఖీ’, కిష్కింధ పర్వతంలో ‘తారా’; దేవదారు వనంలో ‘పుష్టి’, కాశ్మీర మండలంలో ‘మేధా’గా పూజింపబడుతుంది।

Word by Word

• जालन्धरे: at Jālandhara
• जालन्धरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जालन्धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• विश्वमुखी: Viśvamukhī (name; ‘all-faced’)
• विश्वमुखी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व + मुखी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (विश्वं मुखं यस्याः/विश्वमुखी)

• तारा: Tārā (name)
• तारा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम

• किष्किन्धपर्वते: on Kiṣkindhā mountain
• किष्किन्धपर्वते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किष्किन्धा + पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (किष्किन्धायाः पर्वतः)

• देवदारुवने: in the deodar forest
• देवदारुवने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवदारु + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवदारोः वनम्)

• पुष्टिः: Puṣṭi (name)
• पुष्टिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम

• मेधा: Medhā (name)
• मेधा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम

• काश्मीरमण्डले: in the Kashmir region
• काश्मीरमण्डले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काश्मीर + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (काश्मीरस्य मण्डलम्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jālandhara; Kiṣkindhā-parvata; Devadāru-vana; Kāśmīra-maṇḍala

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: muni

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A map-like montage: Jālandhara with Devi Viśvamukhī whose visage contains sun, moon, and directions; Kiṣkindhā mountain with monkey-warrior silhouettes and Devi Tārā as luminous guide; Devadāru forest with tall deodar trees where Devi Puṣṭi offers grains and milk; Kashmir valley with lakes and snow peaks where Devi Medhā bestows a book/rosary and a clear, penetrating gaze.

Characters & Entities

• Jālandhara
• Viśvamukhī
• Kiṣkindhā
• Tārā
• Devadāruvana
• Puṣṭi
• Kāśmīra
• Medhā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Goddess pervades all landscapes—mountain, forest, and kingdom—granting nourishment, guidance, and medhā (spiritual-intellectual power).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Jālandhara, Kiṣkindhā mountain, Devadāru forest, and the Kāśmīra region are presented as Devī’s celebrated seats.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the verse is primarily a tīrtha-index of Devī-nāmas for pilgrimage and praise.