Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

कोटिशो वेदमार्गस्य ध्वंसकान्पापकर्मिणः । इयं मया समाराध्य समानीता गिरेः सुता

Transliteration

koṭiśo vedamārgasya dhvaṃsakānpāpakarmiṇaḥ | iyaṃ mayā samārādhya samānītā gireḥ sutā

Translation

వేదమార్గాన్ని ధ్వంసం చేసే పాపకర్ములు కోటానుకోట్లు ఉద్భవిస్తారు. అందుకే నేను విధిగా ఆరాధించి ఈ గిరిసుతను రక్షణార్థం ఇక్కడికి తీసుకొచ్చాను.

Word by Word

• कोटिशः: by crores; in millions
• कोटिशः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + शस् (अव्ययीभाव-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाणवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of number: ‘in crores/millions’)

• वेदमार्गस्य: of the path of the Vedas
• वेदमार्गस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘Veda-path’); पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• ध्वंसकान्: destroyers
• ध्वंसकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वंसक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• पापकर्मिणः: sinful in actions
• पापकर्मिणः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप + कर्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (‘sinful-deed-doer’); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (ध्वंसकान् इति विशेषण)

• इयम्: this (she)
• इयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana/Agent (Instrument/कर्ता-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन

• समाराध्य: having propitiated
• समाराध्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-राध् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having duly worshipped/propitiated’

• समानीता: was brought; was led here
• समानीता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-नी (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गिरेः: of the mountain
• गिरेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सुता: daughter
• सुता: Apposition (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; इयम् इति विशेष्य

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating (first-person quotation preserved)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A surge of dark figures symbolizing Veda-path destroyers; the narrator performs worship and ceremonially brings Girisutā—radiant, mountain-born—into the sacred precinct as a protective presence.

Characters & Entities

• Veda-mārga
• Girisutā (Pārvatī/Devī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma is threatened, devoted ārādhana invokes divine protection; the Goddess is portrayed as guardian of the Vedic way.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No explicit location is named; the verse emphasizes dharma-protection rather than a particular pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Samārādhana (proper worship) is indicated as the operative practice, without specifying mantra, vrata, or offering.