Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

कल्पकल्पान्तरहितमनादिनिधनं महत् । महाभूतं महाकायं शिवं निर्वाणभैरवम्

Transliteration

kalpakalpāntarahitamanādinidhanaṃ mahat | mahābhūtaṃ mahākāyaṃ śivaṃ nirvāṇabhairavam

Translation

متعالٍ عن دورات الكَلْبَة ونهاياتها، لا بدء له ولا انتهاء، عظيمٌ واسع؛ هو «العنصر الأعظم» و«الجسد الكوني»—شِيفا نفسه، بهايرافا الذي طبيعته نيرفانا، سلامُ التحرّر.

Word by Word

• kalpakalpāntarahitam: free from kalpas and inter-kalpa intervals
• kalpakalpāntarahitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + kalpāntara (प्रातिपदिक) + hita (प्रातिपदिक; √dhā/hi (धातु) + क्त, अर्थे 'स्थित/युक्त')
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (कल्पकल्पान्तरैः रहितम् = devoid of kalpas and inter-kalpa intervals)

• anādinidhanam: beginningless and endless
• anādinidhanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + nidhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (अनादि च अनिधनं च = without beginning and without end)

• mahat: great
• mahat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Accusative singular)

• mahābhūtam: the great being / great element
• mahābhūtam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक; √bhū (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् भूतम्)

• mahākāyam: of vast body
• mahākāyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + kāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् कायः यस्य/महाकायः)

• śivam: Śiva
• śivam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (देवता-नाम), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine proper noun, Accusative singular)

• nirvāṇabhairavam: Nirvāṇa-Bhairava
• nirvāṇabhairavam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirvāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhairava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-तत्पुरुषः (निर्वाणस्य भैरवः / निर्वाणभैरवः = Bhairava as nirvāṇa)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Somnātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A majestic Bhairava aspect implied near Somnātha: dark, still, protective presence; cosmic body spanning sky and sea; yet the face is calm—nirvāṇa within awe.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Bhairava
• Nirvāṇa
• Prabhāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is beyond time-cycles and is the liberating power (nirvāṇa) revered as Bhairava.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where Śiva is praised in a cosmic and liberating form.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the verse supports devotional recitation focused on mokṣa.