Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

कौशांब्यां तु महादेवो ह्ययोध्यायां तु राघवः । विरंचिश्चित्रकूटे तु वाराहो विन्ध्यपर्वते

Transliteration

kauśāṃbyāṃ tu mahādevo hyayodhyāyāṃ tu rāghavaḥ | viraṃciścitrakūṭe tu vārāho vindhyaparvate

Translation

À Kauśāmbī Je suis Mahādeva ; à Ayodhyā Je suis Rāghava (Rāma). À Citrakūṭa Je suis Virañci (Brahmā) ; et sur la montagne Vindhya Je suis Varāha.

Word by Word

• कौशांब्यां: in Kauśāmbī
• कौशांब्यां: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौशाम्बी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• महादेवः: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• महादेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—महान् देवः (कर्मधारय)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed)

• अयोध्यायां: in Ayodhyā
• अयोध्यायां: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयोध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• राघवः: Rāghava (Rāma)
• राघवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विरंचिः: Virañci (Brahmā)
• विरंचिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरञ्चि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• चित्रकूटे: in Citrakūṭa
• चित्रकूटे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्रकूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/स्थाननाम, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—चित्रः कूटः (कर्मधारय/नाम)

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• वाराहः: Varāha (boar-incarnation)
• वाराहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विन्ध्यपर्वते: on/in the Vindhya mountain
• विन्ध्यपर्वते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विन्ध्यपर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—विन्ध्यः पर्वतः (कर्मधारय/नाम)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kauśāmbī / Ayodhyā / Citrakūṭa / Vindhya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A single radiant deity in the center, with four surrounding vignettes: Śiva at Kauśāmbī, Rāma at Ayodhyā, Brahmā at Citrakūṭa, and Varāha upon the Vindhya hills—linked by a subtle halo-thread indicating one essence.

Characters & Entities

• Kauśāmbī
• Ayodhyā
• Citrakūṭa
• Vindhya
• Mahādeva
• Rāghava
• Virañci
• Varāha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Different kṣetras emphasize different divine functions—ascetic power (Mahādeva), righteous kingship (Rāma), creation (Brahmā), and protection (Varāha).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kauśāmbī, Ayodhyā, Citrakūṭa, and the Vindhya mountain region are each sanctified by a corresponding divine manifestation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual instruction is included in this verse.