Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

समीपे शितिकण्ठस्य कूपोयमृषिभिः कृतः । ऋषितीर्थमिति ख्यातं तस्माल्लोके भविष्यति

Transliteration

samīpe śitikaṇṭhasya kūpoyamṛṣibhiḥ kṛtaḥ | ṛṣitīrthamiti khyātaṃ tasmālloke bhaviṣyati

Translation

Près de Śitikaṇṭha (Śiva), ce puits fut creusé par les ṛṣi ; ainsi sera-t-il connu dans le monde sous le nom de “Ṛṣitīrtha”.

Word by Word

• समीपे: near
• समीपे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘near’)

• शितिकण्ठस्य: of Śitikaṇṭha (Śiva)
• शितिकण्ठस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शित + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (शितः कण्ठः यस्य) नामरूपेण

• कूपः: a well
• कूपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ऋषिभिः: by sages
• ऋषिभिः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• कृतः: made, constructed
• कृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु √कृ)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (qualifying ‘कूपः’)

• ऋषितीर्थम्: the sages’ ford/holy place (Ṛṣitīrtha)
• ऋषितीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ऋषीणां तीर्थम्)

• इति: thus, as
• इति: Sambandha (Marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक-अव्यय

• ख्यातम्: known, famed
• ख्यातम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्या (धातु √ख्या)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with ‘ऋषितीर्थम्’)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पञ्चमी, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (therefore)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• भविष्यति: will be, will become
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु √भू)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल/Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Brahmā (continuation of naming/boon context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ṛṣitīrtha

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stone-lined well shimmering with sacred water, sages (ṛṣis) performing consecration near a Śiva emblem associated with the epithet Śitikaṇṭha; the atmosphere suggests the founding moment of a tīrtha and its destined renown.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Śitikaṇṭha)
• Ṛṣitīrtha
• Ṛṣis
• kūpa (well)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Holy sites become enduring through saintly effort; the sanctity of a tīrtha is tied to proximity to Śiva and the merit of sages.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ṛṣitīrtha—the well created by sages near Śiva (Śitikaṇṭha) in the Dvārakā setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna is implied as the purpose of the well; tīrtha identity is formalized through naming and remembrance.