Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

तत्र सिद्धः पाशुपतः कपिलर्षिर्महातपाः । तत्रास्ति हि गुहा रम्या कपिलेश्वर संनिधौ

Transliteration

tatra siddhaḥ pāśupataḥ kapilarṣirmahātapāḥ | tatrāsti hi guhā ramyā kapileśvara saṃnidhau

Translation

Là demeure le grand ascète Kapila Ṛṣi, accompli dans la voie Pāśupata. Près de Kapileśvara se trouve aussi une grotte délicieuse.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of place)

• सिद्धः: the Siddha (perfected being)
• सिद्धः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक; √सिध् (धातु) ‘सिद्धौ’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘सिद्ध’ (accomplished one)

• पाशुपतः: Pāśupata (devotee of Paśupati)
• पाशुपतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाशुपत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjectival)

• कपिलर्षिः: the sage Kapila
• कपिलर्षिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिल (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘कपिलः ऋषिः’

• महातपाः: of great austerity
• महातपाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘महान् तपाः’ (great ascetic)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• गुहा: a cave
• गुहा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• रम्या: beautiful
• रम्या: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• कपिलेश्वर: Kapileśvara (Lord of Kapila / Kapila’s Lord)
• कपिलेश्वर: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिल (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative); प्रातिपदिकरूपेण (as first member of compound with following)

• संनिधौ: in the vicinity/presence
• संनिधौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संनिधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘संनिधि’ = presence/vicinity

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapileśvara-guhā (near Kapileśvara)

Type: cave

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Primary interlocutor of Kāśīkhaṇḍa (traditional frame: sages/Śaunaka group or equivalent)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene Śaiva shrine of Kapileśvara with an adjacent shaded cave-mouth; Kapila Ṛṣi, ash-smeared and radiant with tapas, sits in meditation as pilgrims approach with lamps.

Characters & Entities

• Kapila Ṛṣi
• Pāśupata
• Kapileśvara
• guhā (cave)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s sacred geography in Kāśī is sanctified by perfected sages; proximity to Kapileśvara is itself a sign of spiritual potency.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The vicinity of Kapileśvara in Kāśī, especially a charming cave (guhā) near the shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated here; the verse establishes the sanctity of the place by naming Kapila and the cave near Kapileśvara.