Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 119

Devanagari script

तावञ्जगज्जनन्याताः प्रेरिता निज शक्तयः । विचेरुर्दैत्यसैन्येषु संवर्ते मृत्युसैन्यवत्

Transliteration

tāvañjagajjananyātāḥ preritā nija śaktayaḥ | vicerurdaityasainyeṣu saṃvarte mṛtyusainyavat

Translation

在那段时日里，世界之母自身的诸般圣力（Śakti）奉其命而发动，穿行于阿修罗军阵之中，宛如劫末坏灭时死神的军旅。

Word by Word

• tāvat: then/so long
• tāvat: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (परिमाण/अवधि) = indeclinable adverb: so long/then

• jagat-jananyā: by the Mother of the world
• jagat-jananyā: Karana (Agent-instrumental/कर्तृ-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक) + jananī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; समासः = षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: जगतः जननी (mother of the world)

• ātāḥ: having come/arrived
• ātāḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā + √yā (या) + ta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि (come/arrived)

• preritāḥ: impelled, dispatched
• preritāḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra + √īr/√ir (ईर्/इर्) + ita (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि (impelled/sent forth)

• nija: own
• nija: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (शक्तयः सह); विशेषण (own)

• śaktayaḥ: powers/energies
• śaktayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तृपद

• viceruḥ: moved about, roamed
• viceruḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + √car (चर्)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (wandered/moved about)

• daitya-sainyeṣu: in the Daitya armies
• daitya-sainyeṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक) + sainya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; समासः = तत्पुरुष: दैत्यानां सैन्येषु (in the armies of the Daityas)

• saṃvarte: at the cosmic dissolution
• saṃvarte: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃvarta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (at the time of dissolution)

• mṛtyu-sainya-vat: like the army of Death
• mṛtyu-sainya-vat: Upamana (Simile adjunct/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक) + sainya (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (वत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (वत्-प्रत्ययान्त उपमानवाचक) = indeclinable simile marker: like

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī’s śaktis surge through demon ranks like a dark-gold storm; the scene resembles pralaya—whirling dust, collapsing standards, fleeing shadows—while the Śaktis remain precise, commanded, and inexorable.

Characters & Entities

• Jagajjananī (Mother of the world, Devī)
• Daityas
• Mṛtyu (Death)
• Saṃvarta (dissolution)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Goddess’s energies function as dharma’s inevitability—when unleashed, adharma is met with unstoppable cosmic justice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī Khaṇḍa context supports the sanctity of Kāśī, but this verse is primarily a Devi-centered victory image rather than a site description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.