Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

विद्युज्जिह्वा रुद्रकाली शतोलूखलमेखला । शतघंटाकिंकिणिका चक्राक्षी चत्वरालया

Transliteration

vidyujjihvā rudrakālī śatolūkhalamekhalā | śataghaṃṭākiṃkiṇikā cakrākṣī catvarālayā

Translation

(Các Ngài là) Vidyujjihvā (lưỡi như tia chớp), Rudrakālī, Śatolūkhalamekhalā (thắt đai bằng trăm cối giã), Śataghaṃṭākiṃkiṇikā (trang sức trăm chuông và lục lạc), Cakrākṣī (mắt như luân), và Catvarālayā (ngự nơi ngã tư/quảng trường).

Word by Word

• विद्युत्-जिह्वा: having a lightning-like tongue
• विद्युत्-जिह्वा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्युत् (प्रातिपदिक) + जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative)

• रुद्र-काली: Rudra-Kālī (a form/name of the goddess)
• रुद्र-काली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + काली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (Rudra-like/related Kāli)

• शत-उलूखल-मेखला: having a girdle of a hundred mortars
• शत-उलूखल-मेखला: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + उलूखल (प्रातिपदिक) + मेखला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (determinative: girdle of a hundred mortars)

• शत-घण्टा-किंकिणिका: adorned with a hundred bells and tinkling ornaments
• शत-घण्टा-किंकिणिका: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + घण्टा (प्रातिपदिक) + किंकिणिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (determinative)

• चक्र-अक्षी: wheel-eyed; having disc-like eyes
• चक्र-अक्षी: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षी/अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (eyes like wheels/discs)

• चत्वर-आलया: dwelling at crossroads/public squares
• चत्वर-आलया: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चत्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + आलया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (dwelling in crossroads/squares)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A Bhārata interlocutor (address clarified in v.69)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession-like revelation of fierce Mothers: lightning-tongued Vidyujjihvā, Rudrakālī, bell-adorned Śataghaṃṭākiṃkiṇikā, Cakrākṣī with a discus-like eye, and Catvarālayā stationed at a four-way crossing; the air vibrates with bells and storm-light.

Characters & Entities

• Rudrakālī
• Mātṛs (Mother-goddesses)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine protection extends into liminal and feared spaces; the Mother’s fierce forms guard boundaries and remove hostile forces.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha appears; ‘Catvarālayā’ indicates a liminal dwelling-place (crossroads), not a particular pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse continues the catalogue of epithets and forms.