Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

भद्रकालि महादेवि महिषो दानवस्त्वया । ताडितो मुष्टिना भद्रे धर्मपुष्करिणीजले

Transliteration

bhadrakāli mahādevi mahiṣo dānavastvayā | tāḍito muṣṭinā bhadre dharmapuṣkariṇījale

Translation

“โอ้ภัทรกาลี โอ้มหาเทวี! โอ้ผู้เป็นมงคล มหิษะทานวะผู้นี้ถูกพระองค์ชกด้วยกำปั้น ณ สายน้ำแห่งธรรมปุษกรินี”

Word by Word

• भद्रकालि: O Bhadrakālī
• भद्रकालि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्रकाली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; सम्बोधन (address)

• महादेवि: O great goddess
• महादेवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; सम्बोधन

• महिषः: Mahisha
• महिषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृ (subject)

• दानवः: the demon
• दानवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेष्य-समनाधिकरण (apposition to महिषः)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-हेतुः (by you)

• ताडितः: struck
• ताडितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ताड् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण/विधेय (struck)

• मुष्टिना: with (your) fist
• मुष्टिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; करण (with the fist)

• भद्रे: O auspicious one
• भद्रे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; सम्बोधन

• धर्म-पुष्करिणी-जले: in the water of Dharmapuṣkariṇī
• धर्म-पुष्करिणी-जले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्करिणी (प्रातिपदिक) + जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण; समास: धर्मपुष्करिण्याः जले (in the water of Dharmapuṣkariṇī)

Speaker

Aśarīrā Vāṇī (bodiless voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmapuṣkariṇī

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous, unseen voice praises Bhadrakālī as the lake waters churn; the moment of the Devī’s fist-strike is recalled—ripples radiate, lotuses tremble, and the atmosphere glows with protective power.

Characters & Entities

• Bhadrakālī
• Mahādevī (Devī/Durgā)
• Mahīṣa (Mahīṣāsura)
• Dharmapuṣkariṇī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred waters witness and affirm dharmic action; Devī’s protection is publicly attested, leaving no ambiguity about the triumph of righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmapuṣkariṇī—explicitly named as the waters where the divine act occurs, enhancing its tīrtha identity within Setukhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription is given; the verse functions as a tīrtha-glorifying marker by situating divine power within Dharmapuṣkariṇī’s waters.