Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

तामसी सा महाराज मधुकैटभनाशिनी । विष्णुना तत्र वै न्यस्ता शिवपत्नी नृपोत्तम

Transliteration

tāmasī sā mahārāja madhukaiṭabhanāśinī | viṣṇunā tatra vai nyastā śivapatnī nṛpottama

Translation

大王啊，她名为昏暗相（Tāmasī），乃诛灭摩度与凯塔婆者。就在此处，她由毗湿奴安置——她是湿婆之妃，诸王之最啊。

Word by Word

• तामसी: dark, of tamas
• तामसी: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तामसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—महान् राजा (great king)

• मधुकैटभनाशिनी: slayer of Madhu and Kaiṭabha
• मधुकैटभनाशिनी: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधु + कैटभ + नाशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—मधु-कैटभयोः नाशिनी (destroyer of Madhu and Kaiṭabha)

• विष्णुना: by Viṣṇu
• विष्णुना: Karana (Instrument/Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• न्यस्ता: was placed, deposited
• न्यस्ता: Kriya (Predicate in passive/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शिवपत्नी: Śiva’s consort
• शिवपत्नी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—शिवस्य पत्नी (wife of Śiva)

• नृपोत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—नृपेषु उत्तमः (best of kings)

Speaker

Vyāsa (carried over from the opening of Adhyāya 17)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tāmasī Devī-sthāna in Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (Nṛpottama)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Devī is named Tāmasī, famed for slaying Madhu and Kaiṭabha; Viṣṇu is shown installing her image in the forest shrine, while signs of asura-defeat (broken weapons, subdued darkness) appear; yet her identity as Śiva’s consort is emphasized through subtle Śaiva symbols.

Characters & Entities

• Tāmasī
• Madhu
• Kaiṭabha
• Viṣṇu
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇas present the Goddess as supreme protective power, while also showing harmony between Viṣṇu and Śiva through shared sacred acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is implied as the place where Viṣṇu himself established the Goddess’ presence, heightening the kṣetra’s sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nyāsa/sthāpana is implied: the deity is ‘placed/installed’ by Viṣṇu, indicating consecration and ongoing worship at that spot.