Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

सिंहारूढा चतुर्हस्ता शशांककृतशेखरा । मुक्ताहारलतोपेता पीतोन्नतपयोधरा

Transliteration

siṃhārūḍhā caturhastā śaśāṃkakṛtaśekharā | muktāhāralatopetā pītonnatapayodharā

Translation

وہ شیر پر سوار ہے، چار بازوؤں والی، اور چاند کو تاج کی طرح سر پر دھارے ہوئے۔ موتیوں کی مالا سے مزین، سنہری آہٹ والے بھرے اور بلند پستانوں والی۔

Word by Word

• siṃhārūḍhā: mounted on a lion
• siṃhārūḍhā: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: siṃha (प्रातिपदिक) + ārūḍhā (√ruh + ā- + क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: 'siṃhe ārūḍhā' (mounted on a lion); भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• catur-hastā: four-handed
• catur-hastā: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numeral compound): 'catur hastāḥ yasyāḥ sā' (having four hands); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• śaśāṅka-kṛta-śekharā: having a moon-made crest (moon as diadem)
• śaśāṅka-kṛta-śekharā: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaśāṅka (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (√kṛ + क्त) + śekharā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: 'śaśāṅkena kṛtaḥ śekharaḥ yasyāḥ' (whose crest is made with the moon); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• muktāhāra-latā-upetā: endowed with a pearl-garland like a creeper
• muktāhāra-latā-upetā: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: muktā (प्रातिपदिक) + hāra (प्रातिपदिक) + latā (प्रातिपदिक) + upetā (√i + upa- + क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: 'muktāhāra-latayā upetā' (endowed with a creeper-like pearl-necklace); भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• pīta-unnata-payodharā: having yellowish, uplifted breasts
• pīta-unnata-payodharā: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pīta (प्रातिपदिक) + unnata (प्रातिपदिक) + payodhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समुच्चय: 'pītāś ca unnatāś ca payodharāḥ yasyāḥ' (having yellowish and uplifted breasts); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Dharmāraṇyakhaṇḍa context; exact speaker not explicit in the snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānandā-Devī shrine (within the kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: king (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Devī appears enthroned upon a lion, four-armed, with a crescent moon set as her crest; pearl garlands drape her chest; her complexion glows with golden warmth; the lion stands poised, suggesting readiness to protect the city.

Characters & Entities

• Devī/Śakti (implied)
• Lion (siṃha)
• Moon (śaśāṅka)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The deity’s form is taught for reverent contemplation; dhyāna on the protective Śakti supports courage and dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dharmāraṇya sacred complex where this lion-mounted Śakti is praised as guardian.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; the verse provides dhyāna-style iconographic features for worship and remembrance.