Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

खटखेटी दहदहा तथा धमधमा जया । बहुवेणी बहुशीरा बहुपादा बहुस्तनी

Transliteration

khaṭakheṭī dahadahā tathā dhamadhamā jayā | bahuveṇī bahuśīrā bahupādā bahustanī

Translation

（她们是）喀塔凯蒂（Khaṭakheṭī）、达哈达哈（Dahadahā）、达玛达玛（Dhamadhamā）与胜利者阇耶（Jayā）；又有多辫者婆呼韦尼（Bahuveṇī）、多首者婆呼尸罗（Bahuśīrā）、多足者婆呼婆陀（Bahupādā）、多乳者婆呼斯坦尼（Bahustanī）。

Word by Word

• खट-खेटी: Khaṭakheṭī (name; clattering one)
• खट-खेटी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खट (अनुकरण-प्रातिपदिक) + खेटी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनुकरण-शब्द-समाहारः/द्वन्द्ववत् नाम (onomatopoetic name)

• दहदहा: Dahadahā (name; crackling/burning sound)
• दहदहा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दहदहा (अनुकरण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनुकरण-शब्दः (onomatopoetic)

• तथा: likewise/and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकार-अव्यय (indeclinable: likewise/also)

• धमधमा: Dhamadhamā (name; thudding sound)
• धमधमा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धमधमा (अनुकरण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनुकरण-शब्दः

• जया: Jayā (Victorious; name)
• जया: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बहु-वेणी: many-braided
• बहु-वेणी: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + वेणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (having many braids)

• बहु-शीरा: many-headed
• बहु-शीरा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस्/शीर्षन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (many-headed)

• बहु-पादा: many-footed
• बहु-पादा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (many-footed)

• बहु-स्तनी: many-breasted
• बहु-स्तनी: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (many-breasted)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bharata interlocutor

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A kinetic tableau: Jayā as victorious Mother, alongside onomatopoetic forms embodying clatter and drum—Khaṭakheṭī, Dahadahā, Dhamadhamā—surrounded by colossal Mothers with many braids, heads, feet, and breasts, forming a living fortress around the sacred center.

Characters & Entities

• Jayā
• Mātṛs (Mother-goddesses)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Divine Mother is immeasurable and multi-formed; her “many-limbed” imagery signifies omnipresent power protecting cosmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is descriptive and hymnic.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.