Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

गोपेशं कपिलेशं च वैद्यनाथमनुत्तमम् । पिङ्गलेश्वरतीर्थं च सैन्धवायतनं महत्

Transliteration

gopeśaṃ kapileśaṃ ca vaidyanāthamanuttamam | piṅgaleśvaratīrthaṃ ca saindhavāyatanaṃ mahat

Translation

Gopeśa et Kapileśa ; l’incomparable Vaidyanātha ; le tīrtha de Piṅgaleśvara ; et le grand sanctuaire connu sous le nom de Saindhavāyatana.

Word by Word

• गोपेशम्: Gopeśa
• गोपेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (गोपस्य ईशः)

• कपिलेशम्: Kapileśa
• कपिलेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिल (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कपिलस्य ईशः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वैद्यनाथम्: Vaidyanātha
• वैद्यनाथम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैद्य (प्रातिपदिक) + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वैद्यस्य नाथः)

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, excellent
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; (विशेषण)

• पिङ्गलेश्वरतीर्थम्: the Piṅgaleśvara tīrtha
• पिङ्गलेश्वरतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पिङ्गलेश्वर-सम्बद्धं तीर्थम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सैन्धवायतनम्: Saindhava shrine/abode
• सैन्धवायतनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्धव (प्रातिपदिक) + आयतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सैन्धवस्य आयतनम्/सैन्धव-सम्बद्धम् आयतनम्)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; (विशेषण)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced for Āvantya/Revā-māhātmya style narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gopeśa; Kapileśa; Vaidyanātha; Piṅgaleśvara; Saindhavāyatana

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand temple compound (Saindhavāyatana) with multiple subsidiary shrines: Gopeśa with pastoral/cow motifs, Kapileśa with sage Kapila iconography, Vaidyanātha with healing symbols (herb garlands), Piṅgaleśvara with ochre-toned liṅga; pilgrims moving shrine to shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Gopeśa
• Kapileśa
• Vaidyanātha
• Piṅgaleśvara Tīrtha
• Saindhavāyatana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is praised through many local forms; honoring these manifestations is presented as a powerful means of accruing merit and protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gopeśa, Kapileśa, Vaidyanātha, Piṅgaleśvara-tīrtha, and the Saindhavāyatana shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is described; the verse is a tīrtha-listing within the Revā Khaṇḍa.