Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

तस्मात्कुण्डाद्विनिष्क्रांता धृतखड्गा भयावहा । साऽपरापि तथारूपा शक्तिः परमदारुणा

Transliteration

tasmātkuṇḍādviniṣkrāṃtā dhṛtakhaḍgā bhayāvahā | sā'parāpi tathārūpā śaktiḥ paramadāruṇā

Translation

Từ hồ kuṇḍa ấy lại hiện ra một vị khác, tay cầm kiếm, dáng vẻ khiến người nhìn kinh hãi; rồi lại một Śakti nữa cùng hình tướng ấy—hung mãnh vô cùng.

Word by Word

• tasmāt: from that
• tasmāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tasmāt (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक tad)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (ablatival form used adverbially): 'from that'

• kuṇḍāt: from the pit (kunda)
• kuṇḍāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी एकवचन

• viniṣkrāṃtā: emerged; came forth
• viniṣkrāṃtā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-niṣ-√kram (धातु) → viniṣkrānta (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• dhṛta-khaḍgā: holding a sword
• dhṛta-khaḍgā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhṛta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + khaḍga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (khaḍgaṃ dhṛtam yasyāḥ = holding a sword)

• bhaya-āvahā: bringing fear; terrifying
• bhaya-āvahā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक) + āvaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (bhayaṃ āvahati iti)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• aparā: another; the other
• aparā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying sā)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चय (also/even)

• tathā-rūpā: of the same form
• tathā-rūpā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tathā (अव्यय) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (tathāvidhaṃ rūpaṃ yasyāḥ = of such form)

• śaktiḥ: a power; Śakti (goddess)
• śaktiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• parama-dāruṇā: extremely dreadful
• parama-dāruṇā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + dāruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्मधारय (paramā ca sā dāruṇā ca)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in māhātmya style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: From the kuṇḍa rise two fierce śaktis, each gripping a sword, faces intense and awe-inspiring; flames and smoke frame them like a battlefield aura, while devotees recoil in reverent fear, hands folded.

Characters & Entities

• Śakti
• Khaḍga (sword)
• Kuṇḍa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine compassion includes fierce protection—Śakti arises to destroy threats and guard dharma at the holy site.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter’s kuṇḍa is praised as a protective seat of Śakti where guardian forms manifest.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, the efficacy of the prior homa and mantra is affirmed by the emergence of protective Śaktis.