Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

प्रस्थिता पुरतस्तस्य भवसैन्यस्य हर्षिता । सर्वैर्मातृगणैः सार्धं रौद्रारावैःसुभीषणैः

Transliteration

prasthitā puratastasya bhavasainyasya harṣitā | sarvairmātṛgaṇaiḥ sārdhaṃ raudrārāvaiḥsubhīṣaṇaiḥ

Translation

خوشی سے سرشار وہ بھَو کی فوج کے آگے آگے روانہ ہوئی، اور تمام ماترگن کے ساتھ سخت اور ہیبت ناک جنگی نعروں کے ساتھ بڑھی۔

Word by Word

• प्रस्थिता: having set out / departed
• प्रस्थिता: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + स्था (धातु) → प्रस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्तः; भूतकृदन्तः (past active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• पुरतः: in front
• पुरतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (locative adverb: 'in front')

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (genitive), एकवचनम् (singular)

• भव-सैन्यस्य: of Bhava's army
• भव-सैन्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक) + सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः (neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (genitive), एकवचनम् (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('army of Bhava/Śiva')

• हर्षिता: delighted
• हर्षिता: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हर्षित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त/विशेषण)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (nominative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• सर्वैः: with all
• सर्वैः: Karana (Instrument/सहकारि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (instrumental), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• मातृ-गणैः: with the groups of Mothers (Mātṛs)
• मातृ-गणैः: Sahakari (Association/सहकारि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (instrumental), बहुवचनम् (plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('group of mothers')

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sahakari (Association/सहकारि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; सहार्थक-अव्ययम् (comitative: 'together with')

• रौद्र-आरावैः: with fierce cries
• रौद्र-आरावैः: Karana (Accompaniment/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आराव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (instrumental), बहुवचनम् (plural); कर्मधारयः ('fierce roars/cries')

• सु-भीषणैः: very terrifying
• सु-भीषणैः: Karana (Qualifier of cries/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + भीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (instrumental), बहुवचनम् (plural); उपसर्गपूर्वक-विशेषणम्

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (continuing the account after Śiva’s speech)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kelīśvarī leads, radiant and fierce, before Bhava’s army; behind her surge the Mātṛgaṇas, filling space with terrifying raudra-cries—an advancing wall of divine feminine power.

Characters & Entities

• Kelīśvarī (Goddess)
• Bhava (Śiva)
• Bhavasainya (Śiva’s army)
• Mātṛgaṇa (Mātṛkās)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Divine Feminine is depicted as an active protector, leading sacred forces; dharma is upheld through coordinated divine power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to a tīrtha-glorification section (Tīrthamāhātmya), but this line is narrative (battle-march) rather than direct geographical praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes the Goddess and Mātṛkās proceeding to the battlefield.