Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

दक्षिणोत्तरतो यावत्समुद्रा त्कौरवेश्वरी । पूर्वपश्चिमतो यावद्गोमुखाच्चाश्वमेधिकम् । एतद्गर्भगृहं प्रोक्तं कैलासान्मम वल्लभम्

Transliteration

dakṣiṇottarato yāvatsamudrā tkauraveśvarī | pūrvapaścimato yāvadgomukhāccāśvamedhikam | etadgarbhagṛhaṃ proktaṃ kailāsānmama vallabham

Translation

From south to north it extends from the ocean up to Kauraveśvarī; from east to west, from Gomukha up to Aśvamedhika. This is declared to be the garbhagṛha—the innermost region, beloved to me, dearer even than Kailāsa.

Word by Word

• dakṣiṇa-uttarataḥ: from south to north (in extent)
• dakṣiṇa-uttarataḥ: Avyaya (Extent/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + uttara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (दक्षिणः च उत्तरः च) + तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'from south to north/with respect to south-north')

• yāvat: up to/as far as
• yāvat: Avyaya (Limit/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (limit marker: 'up to/as far as')

• samudrāt: from the sea
• samudrāt: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन (masc abl sg)

• kauraveśvarī: Kauraveśvarī (a named boundary/place)
• kauraveśvarī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaurava (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (kauravasya īśvarī) (fem nom sg); सीमावाचक-स्थान/देवी-नाम

• pūrva-paścimataḥ: from east to west (in extent)
• pūrva-paścimataḥ: Avyaya (Extent/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + paścima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (पूर्वः च पश्चिमः च) + तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'from east to west')

• yāvat: up to/as far as
• yāvat: Avyaya (Limit/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (limit marker)

• gomukhāt: from Gomukha
• gomukhāt: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gomukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगानुसार), पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन (abl sg); स्थान-नाम

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (Connector/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• aśvamedhikam: Aśvamedhika (place/region)
• aśvamedhikam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśvamedhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg); स्थान-नाम/विशेषणवत्

• etat: this
• etat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण

• garbha-gṛham: sanctum
• garbha-gṛham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garbha (प्रातिपदिक) + gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• proktam: is declared
• proktam: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु) + prokta (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे 'is said' (PPP, neuter nom/acc sg)

• kailāsāt: from Kailāsa
• kailāsāt: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kailāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन (masc abl sg)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (gen sg)

• vallabham: dear/beloved
• vallabham: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vallabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; devotional claim suggests divine authority within Mahatmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa garbhagṛha (bounded by Samudra–Kauraveśvarī; Gomukha–Aśvamedhika)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Deveśi)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A directional tableau: the ocean to one side, four boundary tīrthas as guardian points, and a radiant central sanctum; Śiva indicates the perimeter to Devī, emphasizing ‘dearer than Kailāsa’.

Characters & Entities

• Samudra (Ocean)
• Kauraveśvarī
• Gomukha
• Aśvamedhika
• Kailāsa
• Garbhagṛha (inner zone of Prabhāsa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa teaches that certain earthly kṣetras can embody a sanctity so intimate that they are praised as dearer than even divine abodes, inspiring pilgrimage as direct encounter with sacred presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The garbhagṛha (innermost sacred zone) of Prabhāsa, bounded by Samudra–Kauraveśvarī and Gomukha–Aśvamedhika.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; the verse precisely delineates the innermost pilgrimage zone for focused visitation and worship.