Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

कपालेश्वरसांनिध्यं देवीं कापालिकेश्वरीम् । तत्र चोत्तरदिग्भागे शक्तिच्छिद्रं प्रचक्षते

Transliteration

kapāleśvarasāṃnidhyaṃ devīṃ kāpālikeśvarīm | tatra cottaradigbhāge śakticchidraṃ pracakṣate

Translation

കപാലേശ്വരത്തിന്റെ സാന്നിധ്യത്തിൽ ‘കാപാലികേശ്വരി’ എന്ന ദേവി വിരാജിക്കുന്നു. അവിടത്തെ വടക്കുഭാഗത്ത് ‘ശക്തിഛിദ്രം’ എന്നു വിളിക്കപ്പെടുന്ന സ്ഥലം കാണിച്ചുതരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• कपालेश्वर-सांनिध्यम्: proximity/presence of Kapāleśvara
• कपालेश्वर-सांनिध्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपालेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + सांनिध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (accusative) एकवचनम्; समासः: तत्पुरुषः (कपालेश्वरस्य सांनिध्यम् = proximity of Kapāleśvara)

• देवीम्: the goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (accusative) एकवचनम्

• कापालिकेश्वरीम्: Kāpālikeśvarī (name of the देवी)
• कापालिकेश्वरीम्: Karma (Apposition/कर्म-समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कापालिक (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (accusative) एकवचनम्; समासः: तत्पुरुषः (कापालिकानाम् ईश्वरी = mistress of the Kāpālikas)

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

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Coordination/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधकः

• उत्तर-दिक्-भागे: in the northern part/direction
• उत्तर-दिक्-भागे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (locative) एकवचनम्; समासः: तत्पुरुषः (उत्तरायां दिशि भागः = in the northern direction-part)

• शक्ति-छिद्रम्: Śakticchidra (a sacred spot)
• शक्ति-छिद्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + छिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (accusative) एकवचनम्; समासः: तत्पुरुषः (शक्तेः छिद्रम् = ‘Śakti-hole/opening’, name of a spot)

• प्रचक्षते: they call/declare
• प्रचक्षते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (present); आत्मनेपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः; बहुवचनम्; धातुः: √चक्ष् (to tell/declare) उपसर्गः: प्र-

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapāleśvara-sānnidhya: Kāpālikeśvarī and Śakti-chidra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A compact shrine area: Kapāleśvara liṅga nearby; Devī Kāpālikeśvarī stands radiant; to the north, sages point to a fissure in the earth glowing subtly—Śakti-chidra.

Characters & Entities

• Kapāleśvara
• Kāpālikeśvarī
• Śakti-chidra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is also remembrance through place—named shrines and directional markers preserve divine presence in geography.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kapāleśvara’s vicinity is mapped with Kāpālikeśvarī and the northern landmark called Śakti-chidra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed here; the verse functions as a sthala-map, identifying shrines and a sacred landmark for darśana.