Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

कथं कपिजलं पुत्रं व्यासाल्लेभे शुचिस्मिता

Transliteration

kathaṃ kapijalaṃ putraṃ vyāsāllebhe śucismitā

Translation

¿Cómo obtuvo de Vyāsa, la dama pura de sonrisa apacible, un hijo llamado Kapijala?

Word by Word

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक क्रियाविशेषण

• कपिजलम्: Kapijala (name)
• कपिजलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिजल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम (proper name)

• पुत्रम्: son
• पुत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अप्पोजिशन (as son)

• व्यासात्: from Vyāsa
• व्यासात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• लेभे: obtained/received
• लेभे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• शुचिस्मिता: the pure-smiling lady
• शुचिस्मिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुचि + स्मिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (शुचिः स्मिता यस्याः/या)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative question within the dialogue; immediately followed by Sūta’s reply in the next verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sūta

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pure, softly smiling woman (śucismitā) respectfully questions or receives a boon; Vyāsa, austere and radiant, is present; the theme is the mysterious obtaining of a son named Kapijala.

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Kapijala

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It introduces a dhārmic lineage narrative, prompting reflection on how righteous progeny and life-stages unfold under sacred order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse itself does not name a specific tīrtha; it functions as a lead-in within the Tīrthamāhātmya chapter’s broader sacred-geography discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated in this verse.