Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

शर्मिष्ठास्थापितां गौरीं यो ज्येष्ठां तत्र पश्यति । तेन गौर्यः समस्तास्ता वीक्षिता द्विजसत्तमाः

Transliteration

śarmiṣṭhāsthāpitāṃ gaurīṃ yo jyeṣṭhāṃ tatra paśyati | tena gauryaḥ samastāstā vīkṣitā dvijasattamāḥ

Translation

噢，二次生者中最殊胜者！凡在彼处瞻礼由舍尔弥什塔（Śarmiṣṭhā）所安立的长姊形态——耶什塔·高丽（Jyeṣṭhā Gaurī）者——由其一见，确已见到高丽（Gaurī）的一切形相。

Word by Word

• शर्मिष्ठास्थापिताम्: installed by Śarmiṣṭhā
• शर्मिष्ठास्थापिताम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शर्मिष्ठा + स्थापित (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकृत् कृदन्त 'स्थापित' (PPP) विशेषणम् (qualifying 'गौरीम्')

• गौरीम्: Gaurī
• गौरीम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ज्येष्ठाम्: the eldest/senior
• ज्येष्ठाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying 'गौरीम्')

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

• पश्यति: sees
• पश्यति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• गौर्यः: Gaurīs (forms of Gaurī)
• गौर्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of 'वीक्षिता')
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• समस्ताः: all
• समस्ताः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् (qualifying 'गौर्यः')

• ताः: those
• ताः: Anuvrtti/Subject (अनुवृत्ति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वीक्षिताः: (are) seen
• वीक्षिताः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √ईक्ष् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृत् कृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• द्विजसत्तमाः: O best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजसत्तमाः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); संबोधनार्थे प्रायः (vocative-sense though nominative form used)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced from immediate narrative context of Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jyeṣṭhā Gaurī (Śarmiṣṭhā-sthāpitā)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvija-sattamāḥ (explicitly addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A venerable Gaurī idol labeled ‘Jyeṣṭhā’ in a sanctum; a narrative panel shows Śarmiṣṭhā performing the original installation with offerings; brāhmaṇas (dvija-sattamāḥ) listen as the merit is proclaimed.

Characters & Entities

• Gaurī
• Śarmiṣṭhā
• Jyeṣṭhā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A single sacred darśana of the Devī at her famed installation is treated as encompassing her many manifestations.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha locale of Adhyāya 152, specifically the spot where Śarmiṣṭhā’s installed Gaurī is worshiped.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No separate rite is prescribed; the focus is on darśana of the installed Deity.