Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

कपिलेन पुरा देवि यत्र तप्तं तपो महत् । वर्षाणामयुतं साग्रं प्रतिष्ठाप्य महेश्वरम्

Transliteration

kapilena purā devi yatra taptaṃ tapo mahat | varṣāṇāmayutaṃ sāgraṃ pratiṣṭhāpya maheśvaram

Translation

O Göttin, einst übte Kapila dort große Askese; und nachdem er Maheśvara eingesetzt hatte, vollzog er sie zehntausend Jahre und noch darüber hinaus.

Word by Word

• कपिलेन: by Kapila
• कपिलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/सह), एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• पुरा: formerly, in ancient times
• पुरा: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन — Vocative singular

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• तप्तम्: was performed/undertaken (lit. heated, done)
• तप्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु) + त (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः (past passive participle)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (agrees with तपः)

• वर्षाणाम्: of years
• वर्षाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन — Genitive plural

• अयुतम्: ten thousand
• अयुतम्: Visheshana (Measure/परिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-नाम (numeral noun)

• साग्रम्: with an additional amount (and more)
• साग्रम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अयुतम् इत्यस्य) — ‘with an excess/plus’

• प्रतिष्ठाप्य: having स्थापित/installed
• प्रतिष्ठाप्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-स्था (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (ल्यप्/क्त्वा), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (absolutive/gerund)

• महेश्वरम्: Maheshvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन — Accusative singular; कर्म (object of प्रतिष्ठाप्य)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapileśvara (Kāpila Kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sage Kapila in deep austerity near the sea, matted hair and ochre robes, seated by a newly installed Śiva-liṅga; time is shown through cyclical seasons around him, emphasizing ‘ten thousand years and more’.

Characters & Entities

• Kapila
• Maheśvara
• Mahādevī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha gains enduring sanctity through tapas and the स्थापना of the deity; spiritual power is anchored in place by disciplined practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kapileśvara/Kāpila-kṣetra area, sanctified by Kapila’s austerities and installation of Maheśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pratiṣṭhā (installation) of Maheśvara is referenced as the founding sacred act; the verse itself does not prescribe a new rite for the listener.