Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

कल्पकल्पान्तरहितमनादिनिधनं महत् । महाभूतं महाकायं शिवं निर्वाणभैरवम्

Transliteration

kalpakalpāntarahitamanādinidhanaṃ mahat | mahābhūtaṃ mahākāyaṃ śivaṃ nirvāṇabhairavam

Translation

Beyond the cycles of kalpas and their endings—beginningless, endless, vast—the Great Element, the Cosmic Body: Śiva Himself, Bhairava whose very nature is nirvāṇa, liberating peace.

Word by Word

• kalpakalpāntarahitam: free from kalpas and inter-kalpa intervals
• kalpakalpāntarahitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + kalpāntara (प्रातिपदिक) + hita (प्रातिपदिक; √dhā/hi (धातु) + क्त, अर्थे 'स्थित/युक्त')
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (कल्पकल्पान्तरैः रहितम् = devoid of kalpas and inter-kalpa intervals)

• anādinidhanam: beginningless and endless
• anādinidhanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + nidhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (अनादि च अनिधनं च = without beginning and without end)

• mahat: great
• mahat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Accusative singular)

• mahābhūtam: the great being / great element
• mahābhūtam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक; √bhū (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् भूतम्)

• mahākāyam: of vast body
• mahākāyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + kāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् कायः यस्य/महाकायः)

• śivam: Śiva
• śivam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (देवता-नाम), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine proper noun, Accusative singular)

• nirvāṇabhairavam: Nirvāṇa-Bhairava
• nirvāṇabhairavam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirvāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhairava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-तत्पुरुषः (निर्वाणस्य भैरवः / निर्वाणभैरवः = Bhairava as nirvāṇa)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Somnātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A majestic Bhairava aspect implied near Somnātha: dark, still, protective presence; cosmic body spanning sky and sea; yet the face is calm—nirvāṇa within awe.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Bhairava
• Nirvāṇa
• Prabhāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is beyond time-cycles and is the liberating power (nirvāṇa) revered as Bhairava.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where Śiva is praised in a cosmic and liberating form.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the verse supports devotional recitation focused on mokṣa.