Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

कापिलेय ह्रदे स्नात्वा वीक्षेत वृषभध्वजम् । उपशांतशिवं पश्येत्तत्कूपविहितोदकः

Transliteration

kāpileya hrade snātvā vīkṣeta vṛṣabhadhvajam | upaśāṃtaśivaṃ paśyettatkūpavihitodakaḥ

Translation

Having bathed in the Kāpileya lake, one should behold Vṛṣabhadhvaja (Śiva, whose banner is the bull). Having performed the prescribed water-rite at that well, one should behold Upaśāntaśiva.

Word by Word

• कापिलेय: Kāpileya
• कापिलेय: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāpileya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — ‘ह्रदे’ इत्यस्य विशेषण (locative singular agreeing with hrade)

• ह्रदे: in the lake
• ह्रदे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hrada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (masculine, locative, singular)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Pūrvakāla (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: snā (धातु) + क्त्वा → snātvā (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• वीक्षेत: should see
• वीक्षेत: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vīkṣ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (optative: should see)

• वृषभध्वजम्: Vṛṣabhadhvaja (Śiva, whose banner is the bull)
• वृषभध्वजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष ‘वृषभः ध्वजः यस्य’ (Śiva) (masculine, accusative, singular)

• उपशांतशिवम्: Upaśānta-Śiva (the pacified/appeased Śiva)
• उपशांतशिवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upaśānta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (upaśāntaḥ śivaḥ) (masculine, accusative, singular)

• पश्येत्: should see
• पश्येत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ्-अर्थे, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (should see)

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — समासाङ्ग (genitive singular as compound member: ‘of that’)

• कूप: of the well
• कूप: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — समासाङ्ग (genitive singular as compound member)

• विहित: prescribed/arranged
• विहित: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi (उपसर्ग) + dhā (धातु) + क्त → vihita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — समासाङ्ग (past participle: ‘prescribed/arranged’)

• उदकः: one whose water (rite) is arranged from that well
• उदकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समास: तत्कूपविहितोदकः = तत् + कूप + विहित + उदकः (masculine, nominative, singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāpileya hrada; Vṛṣabhadhvaja; Upaśāntaśiva

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tranquil lake (Kāpileya hrada) with lotuses and steps; a devotee emerges from the water and approaches a shrine where Śiva is honored as Vṛṣabhadhvaja, with a bull-banner fluttering; then the devotee draws water from a well and performs abhiṣeka at a serene Upaśāntaśiva liṅga, the atmosphere visibly calm and meditative.

Characters & Entities

• Kāpileya Hrada
• Vṛṣabhadhvaja (Śiva)
• Upaśāntaśiva
• Kūpa (well)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s waters and wells are not merely physical—they are ritual gateways leading to direct encounter (darśana) with Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāpileya hrada, and the Śiva forms Vṛṣabhadhvaja and Upaśāntaśiva within Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bathe at Kāpileya hrada, see Vṛṣabhadhvaja; then perform the prescribed well-water rite and see Upaśāntaśiva.