Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

अस्मिन्प्राभासिके क्षेत्रे सूर्यस्थलसमीपतः । आराधयंतो देवेशं गुहामध्यनिवासिनम्

Transliteration

asminprābhāsike kṣetre sūryasthalasamīpataḥ | ārādhayaṃto deveśaṃ guhāmadhyanivāsinam

Translation

In this Prabhāsa holy region, near the place of Sūrya, they worshipped with devotion the Lord of gods who dwells within the cave’s interior.

Word by Word

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्राभासिके: in the Prābhāsika
• प्राभासिके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राभासिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; क्षेत्रे इति विशेष्येण सह

• क्षेत्रे: in the sacred field/place
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• सूर्यस्थलसमीपतः: from/near the Sun’s place (Sūrya-sthala)
• सूर्यस्थलसमीपतः: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सूर्य-स्थल-समīप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त), पञ्चमी-अर्थे ‘-तः’ (ablatival adverb): ‘समीपात्/समीपे’

• आराधयन्तः: worshipping
• आराधयन्तः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-राध् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदी

• देवेशम्: the Lord of gods
• देवेशम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘देवानाम् ईशः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• गुहामध्यनिवासिनम्: dwelling in the middle of the cave
• गुहामध्यनिवासिनम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुहा-मध्य-निवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; देवेशम् इति विशेष्येण सह; ‘गुहायाः मध्ये निवासिन्’ इति तत्पुरुष

Speaker

Narrator (likely Skanda) addressing Devī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sūrya-sthala (near Prabhāsa) and the guhā-sthita Deveśa shrine

Type: cave

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession of Vālakhilya sages worship near a Sūrya shrine; nearby, a dark cave opens with a luminous deity seated within, the contrast of outer sunlight and inner radiance emphasized.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa Kṣetra
• Sūryasthala
• Deveśa (Śiva)
• Guhā (cave)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True worship seeks the indwelling Lord—even in hidden sanctuaries like caves—revealing the depth of tīrtha-sacrality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, specifically the area near Sūryasthala and the cave sanctum.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ārādhana (devotional worship/propitiation) of Deveśa (Śiva) at the cave shrine.