Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

गुप्तस्तेपे तपो यस्मात्तस्माद्गुप्तेश्वरः स्मृतः । सर्वकुष्ठहरो देवो दर्शनात्स्पर्शनादपि

Transliteration

guptastepe tapo yasmāttasmādgupteśvaraḥ smṛtaḥ | sarvakuṣṭhaharo devo darśanātsparśanādapi

Translation

Because he performed austerities in secrecy, he is remembered as Guptēśvara. That God removes every form of leprosy—by mere sight of him, and even by touch.

Word by Word

• गुप्तः: (he) being hidden
• गुप्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुप्त (कृदन्त; गुप् धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे विशेष्यवत् (as subject: the hidden one)

• तेपे: performed austerity
• तेपे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• तपः: penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यस्मात्: because of which
• यस्मात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative: because of which)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; तदर्थक (therefore/from that)

• गुप्तेश्वरः: Guptēśvara
• गुप्तेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुप्त + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्मृतः: is known/called
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Predication)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (is called/remembered)

• सर्वकुष्ठहरः: remover of all leprosy
• सर्वकुष्ठहरः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + कुष्ठ + हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (remover of all leprosy)

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दर्शनात्: from seeing (him)
• दर्शनात्: Hetu (Cause/Reason)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• स्पर्शनात्: from touching (him)
• स्पर्शनात्: Hetu (Cause/Reason)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक निपात (particle: also/even)

Speaker

Śiva (deduced from section context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Guptēśvara

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Implied Devī as addressee in the surrounding passage; also the frame audience of ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A secluded grove or cave-like sanctum: Soma performs secret austerities; the Guptēśvara liṅga radiates healing power, with devotees receiving blessing by sight and touch.

Characters & Entities

• Guptēśvara
• Śiva
• Darśana
• Sparśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Hidden tapas yields manifest grace: sincere austerity culminates in a deity whose presence heals and purifies.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Guptēśvara in Prabhāsa-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Seeking the deity’s darśana (seeing) and sparśa (touch) as purificatory, healing acts at the sacred site.