Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

ततः सा चिंतयामास कां देवीं पूजयाम्यहम् । सौभाग्यार्थं यतोऽन्या मां पूजयंति सुरस्त्रियः

Transliteration

tataḥ sā ciṃtayāmāsa kāṃ devīṃ pūjayāmyaham | saubhāgyārthaṃ yato'nyā māṃ pūjayaṃti surastriyaḥ

Translation

แล้วพระนางทรงรำพึงว่า: ‘เพื่อความเป็นสิริมงคลแห่งคู่ครอง เราควรบูชาพระเทวีองค์ใด ในเมื่อสตรีเทพอื่นๆ กลับบูชาเรา?’

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रमवाचकः (then)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• चिन्तयामास: thought/pondered
• चिन्तयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• काम्: which
• काम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचकः (qualifying देवीम्)

• देवीम्: goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• पूजयामि: do I worship
• पूजयामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (present), उत्तमपुरुषः (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (gender-neutral pronoun)

• सौभाग्यार्थम्: for (the sake of) good fortune
• सौभाग्यार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौभाग्य + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; सौभाग्य-अर्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; प्रयोजनवाचकः (for the sake of good fortune)

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; हेतुवाचकः (because/for)

• अन्याः: other (women)
• अन्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पूजयन्ति: worship
• पूजयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सुरस्त्रियः: celestial women
• सुरस्त्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरस्त्री (प्रातिपदिक; सुर + स्त्री)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (women of the gods)

Speaker

Sage (instructor) narrating Gaurī’s reflection

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gaurī seated in contemplation near the pañca-piṇḍas, hand to chin, eyes inward; celestial women in the background gesture reverently toward her, underscoring the paradox that she now seeks a deity to worship for saubhāgya.

Characters & Entities

• Gaurī
• devī
• surastriyaḥ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the Goddess models purposeful devotion—aligning worship with dharmic aims such as saubhāgya and household harmony.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The reflection occurs within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual yet; it prepares the rationale for the subsequent worship instruction.