Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

प्रस्थितं पुरुषं दृष्ट्वा सोमनाथं प्रति प्रभुम् । स करोति महाविघ्नं कपर्दी लोकपूजितः

Transliteration

prasthitaṃ puruṣaṃ dṛṣṭvā somanāthaṃ prati prabhum | sa karoti mahāvighnaṃ kapardī lokapūjitaḥ

Translation

Voyant un homme se mettre en route vers Somanātha, le Seigneur, Kapardī—vénéré par le monde—suscite un grand obstacle.

Word by Word

• प्रस्थितम्: departed, set out
• प्रस्थितम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past active/participial sense), क्त; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• पुरुषम्: a man
• पुरुषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• सोमनाथम्: Somanātha (Lord of Soma)
• सोमनाथम्: Karma (Object/goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘सोमस्य नाथः’

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Sampradana/Direction (towards)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-पूर्वपद/उपपद (preposition)

• प्रभुम्: the Lord
• प्रभुम्: Karma (Object apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• करोति: makes
• करोति: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd singular)

• महाविघ्नम्: a great obstacle
• महाविघ्नम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular); कर्मधारयः ‘महान् विघ्नः’

• कपर्दी: Kapardī (Śiva, the matted-haired)
• कपर्दी: Karta (Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपर्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• लोकपूजितः: worshipped by the world
• लोकपूजितः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोक + पूजित (पूज् धातु + क्त; समास)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) ‘पूजित’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘लोकैः पूजितः’ (agent implied)

Speaker

Narrative voice (speaker not explicit in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Somnātha

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A determined pilgrim sets out toward the coastal Somnātha shrine; a fierce ascetic-Śiva figure ‘Kapardī’ (matted hair, trident) manifests as a looming obstacle—storm, illusion, or guardian confrontation—testing the traveler’s devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Somanātha
• Kapardī (epithet; contextually Śiva-associated or a named agent)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage to a supreme tīrtha is not casual; obstacles arise to test resolve and purify intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Somanātha at Prabhāsakṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the verse describes an impediment mechanism affecting would-be pilgrims.