Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

पूतना रोदना त्वामा कोटरा मेघवाहिनी । ऊर्ध्ववेणीधरा चैव जरायुर्जर्जरानना

Transliteration

pūtanā rodanā tvāmā koṭarā meghavāhinī | ūrdhvaveṇīdharā caiva jarāyurjarjarānanā

Translation

（她们是）普多那（Pūtanā）、哀号者罗陀那（Rodanā）、特瓦玛（Tvāmā）、穴居者拘塔罗（Koṭarā）、乘云者梅伽婆希尼（Meghavāhinī）、上束发辫者乌尔德瓦韦尼陀罗（Ūrdhvaveṇīdharā）、伽罗优（Jarāyuḥ）、以及枯败面者阇尔阇罗阿难那（Jarjarānanā）。

Word by Word

• पूतना: Pūtanā (name)
• पूतना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूतना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रोदना: wailing/causing lamentation
• रोदना: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोदना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्वामा: (name/epithet) Tvāmā
• त्वामा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वाम (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पाठभेद/अप्रसिद्ध-रूपम् (irregular/variant form)

• कोटरा: hollow-caverned; having cavities
• कोटरा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोटर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मेघ-वाहिनी: cloud-bearing; bringing clouds
• मेघ-वाहिनी: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेघ (प्रातिपदिक) + वाहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (carrier of clouds)

• ऊर्ध्व-वेणी-धरा: bearing an upraised braid/topknot
• ऊर्ध्व-वेणी-धरा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वेणी (प्रातिपदिक) + धरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (bearing an upraised braid)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• जरायुḥ: jarāyu (afterbirth/placenta) (as epithet/name)
• जरायुḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विसर्गान्त-रूपम्

• जर्जर-आनना: having a decayed/worn face
• जर्जर-आनना: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जर्जर (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (face that is worn/decayed)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bharata interlocutor

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cluster of Mothers: Pūtanā with ominous maternal guise, Rodanā as a wailing figure, Koṭarā emerging from a tree-hollow, Meghavāhinī riding dark monsoon clouds, Ūrdhvaveṇīdharā with hair bound upward like a flame, Jarjarānanā with time-worn visage; the sky churns with rain and thunder.

Characters & Entities

• Pūtanā
• Mātṛs (Mother-goddesses)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even frightening or liminal powers are placed within divine order as attendants of Dharma, showing the cosmos is governed by the Mother’s many agencies.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual instruction is present.