Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 150

Devanagari script

तत्रासीत्तापसो नाम्ना सुप्रभः शंसितव्रतः । समाधिस्थः सुशिष्याढ्यस्तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषः

Transliteration

tatrāsīttāpaso nāmnā suprabhaḥ śaṃsitavrataḥ | samādhisthaḥ suśiṣyāḍhyastapasā dagdhakilbiṣaḥ

Translation

Là vivait un ascète nommé Suprabha, renommé pour ses vœux—établi en samādhi, entouré de disciples dignes, et dont les fautes avaient été brûlées par l’austérité.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तापसः: an ascetic
• तापसः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तापस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘by name’ प्रयोगः

• सुप्रभः: Suprabha (name)
• सुप्रभः: Karta (कर्ता) समानाधिकरण
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुप्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• शंसितव्रतः: whose vows were praised
• शंसितव्रतः: Karta (कर्ता) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शंसित-व्रत (प्रातिपदिक; शंस् (धातु)→शंसित (क्त) + व्रत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘praised/commended vows’ (one whose vows are praised)

• समाधिस्थः: situated in samādhi
• समाधिस्थः: Karta (कर्ता) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाधि-स्थ (प्रातिपदिक; समाधि + स्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (समाधौ स्थितः)

• सुशिष्याढ्यः: abounding in good disciples
• सुशिष्याढ्यः: Karta (कर्ता) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-शिष्य-आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक; सु + शिष्य + आढ्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सुशिष्यैः आढ्यः = rich in good disciples)

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• दग्धकिल्बिषः: with sins burnt away
• दग्धकिल्बिषः: Karta (कर्ता) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दग्ध-किल्बिष (प्रातिपदिक; दह् (धातु)→दग्ध (क्त) + किल्बिष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘burnt sins’ (one whose sins are burnt)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced: Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene ascetic, Suprabha, sits in deep samādhi in an āśrama near the pilgrimage ground, surrounded by calm disciples, radiating quiet authority amid distant commotion.

Characters & Entities

• Suprabha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True spiritual authority is portrayed as vow-discipline, meditative absorption, and purification through tapas—qualities that sanctify a tīrtha narrative.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader unit is Tīrthamāhātmya in Nāgarakhaṇḍa; this verse introduces the saint rather than naming the site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vrata (holy observance) and tapas (austerity) are praised generally; no specific procedural rite is detailed here.