Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

धन्यास्ते ये प्रपश्यंति नित्यमेनां नरोत्तमाः । कपालेश्वरमभ्यर्च्य विश्वशक्तिरियं यतः

Transliteration

dhanyāste ye prapaśyaṃti nityamenāṃ narottamāḥ | kapāleśvaramabhyarcya viśvaśaktiriyaṃ yataḥ

Translation

നിത്യവും അവളെ ദർശിക്കുന്ന നരോത്തമർ ധന്യരാണ്. കാരണം കപാലേശ്വരനെ അർച്ചിച്ച് ഈ ദേവി ഇവിടെ വിശ്വശക്തിയായി വിരാജിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• dhanyāḥ: blessed, fortunate
• dhanyāḥ: Predicate (Complement/पूरक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhanya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• prapaśyanti: see, behold
• prapaśyanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra- + √paś (पश्; धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• nityam: always
• nityam: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityam (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• enām: her
• enām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: enad (एतद्/एनद्; सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• nara-uttamāḥ: best of men
• nara-uttamāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (श्रेष्ठ-निर्देश); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• kapāla-īśvaram: Kapāleśvara
• kapāla-īśvaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapāla (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• abhyarcya: having worshipped
• abhyarcya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi- + √arc (अर्च्; धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• viśva-śaktiḥ: the all-power (universal power)
• viśva-śaktiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• iyam: this (she)
• iyam: Predicate (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• yataḥ: because
• yataḥ: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (causal indeclinable: ‘because/since’)

Speaker

Nārada

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapāleśvara tīrtha (with Kapāleśī/Viśvaśakti)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees at dawn performing liṅga-arcana to Kapāleśvara; beside/behind, the Goddess as Viśvaśakti radiates, blessing those who come daily; garlands, bilva leaves, lamps, and a calm sanctum.

Characters & Entities

• Kapāleśvara (Śiva)
• Devī as Viśvaśakti
• Darśana (beholding)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Daily darśana and worship at a Śiva-kṣetra reveals Śakti as the universe’s living power, blessing the devotee.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kapāleśvara sacred center, where the Goddess is revered as Viśvaśakti alongside Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhyarcana (devotional worship) of Kapāleśvara and regular darśana of the Goddess are recommended.