Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 75

Devanagari script

गलितं तेन कपिला वर्णतो नामतोऽभवत् । तथा गन्धरसैर्युक्तं नानापुष्पैस्तु वासितम्

Transliteration

galitaṃ tena kapilā varṇato nāmato'bhavat | tathā gandharasairyuktaṃ nānāpuṣpaistu vāsitam

Translation

അങ്ങനെ ഒഴുകിയപ്പോൾ അത് വർണ്ണത്താലും നാമത്താലും ‘കപിലാ’യായി. ഗന്ധവും രസവും നിറഞ്ഞതായ അത് നാനാവിധ പുഷ്പങ്ങളാൽ സുഗന്ധിതമായി.

Word by Word

• galitam: melted, flowed out
• galitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √gal (धातु) + -ta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; past passive participle = 'having been melted/flowed'

• tena: by that, thereby
• tena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-शब्द, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• kapilā: Kapilā (name of the river)
• kapilā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapilā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• varṇataḥ: in terms of color
• varṇataḥ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; अर्थे 'from/with respect to'

• nāmataḥ: in terms of name
• nāmataḥ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; अर्थे 'from/with respect to'

• abhavat: became
• abhavat: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• tathā: likewise, also
• tathā: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपपद/समुच्चयार्थे 'also/likewise'

• gandharasaiḥ: with fragrances and tastes
• gandharasaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + rasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (गन्ध-रस), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• yuktam: endowed (with)
• yuktam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √yuj (धातु) + -ta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'endowed/connected'

• nānāpuṣpaiḥ: with various flowers
• nānāpuṣpaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nānā (अव्यय) + puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (नानाविधानि पुष्पाणि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• tu: indeed, but
• tu: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोध/अन्वयार्थक निपात

• vāsitam: perfumed, scented
• vāsitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √vās (धातु) + -ita (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'perfumed/scented'

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapilā

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A newly manifested stream glows tawny-golden; the air is thick with floral perfume as blossoms drift and garland the water; devotees watch in reverent astonishment.

Characters & Entities

• Kapilā (river)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred waters are portrayed as intrinsically auspicious—bearing purity, beauty, and subtle sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kapilā river is glorified as a sanctified stream with auspicious qualities.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the verse supports the idea that bathing and worship in such waters is spiritually beneficial.