Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

कपिलं जलमिश्रैस्तु तस्मादेषा सरिद्वरा । कपिला चोच्यते तज्ज्ञैः पुराणार्थविशारदैः

Transliteration

kapilaṃ jalamiśraistu tasmādeṣā saridvarā | kapilā cocyate tajjñaiḥ purāṇārthaviśāradaiḥ

Translation

Therefore, because its waters were mingled with tawny coloring, this excellent river is called “Kapilā” by those who know—adept in the meanings of the Purāṇas.

Word by Word

• kapilam: tawny, kapila-colored
• kapilam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kapila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (जलस्य) विशेषण

• jala-miśraiḥ: with water-mixtures (mixed waters)
• jala-miśraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक) + miśra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (जलेन मिश्राः/जलमिश्राः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• tu: indeed, but
• tu: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• tasmāt: from that, therefore
• tasmāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन

• eṣā: this (river)
• eṣā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• sarit-varā: the excellent river
• sarit-varā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarit (प्रातिपदिक) + varā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; 'best river'

• kapilā: Kapilā
• kapilā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapilā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• ucyate: is called
• ucyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• tat-jñaiḥ: by the knowers
• tat-jñaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (तत्-ज्ञ), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; 'by those who know that'

• purāṇa-artha-viśāradaiḥ: by those skilled in the meaning of the Purāṇas
• purāṇa-artha-viśāradaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + viśārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (पुराणार्थेषु विशारदाः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapilā

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of sages points toward a tawny-hued river; one elder explains the name ‘Kapilā’ to attentive listeners, palm-leaf manuscripts nearby, the river shimmering behind them.

Characters & Entities

• Kapilā (river)
• Purāṇa-artha-viśārada (learned interpreters)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Remembering sacred names preserves the Purāṇic meaning of places and strengthens devotional connection to tīrthas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kapilā, praised as an excellent river (sarit-varā).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual; it authorizes the river’s sanctity through traditional Purāṇic interpretation.