Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

वस्त्रापथं रुद्रकोटिर्ज्येष्ठेश्वरं महालयम् । गोकर्णं रुद्रकर्णं च वर्णाख्यं स्थापसंज्ञकम्

Transliteration

vastrāpathaṃ rudrakoṭirjyeṣṭheśvaraṃ mahālayam | gokarṇaṃ rudrakarṇaṃ ca varṇākhyaṃ sthāpasaṃjñakam

Translation

വസ്ത്രാപഥം, രുദ്രകോടി, ജ്യേഷ്ഠേശ്വരം, മഹാലയം; ഗോകർണം, രുദ്രകർണം; കൂടാതെ ‘സ്ഥാപ’ എന്ന പേരിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധമായ വർണാഖ്യം—ഇവയും തീർത്ഥ-പ്രകട രൂപങ്ങളായി പ്രസ്താവിക്കപ്പെട്ടവയാണ്.

Word by Word

• वस्त्रापथम्: Vastrāpatha (name)
• वस्त्रापथम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र + पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (नाम), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—वस्त्रस्य पथः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• रुद्रकोटिः: Rudrakoṭi (name)
• रुद्रकोटिः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (नाम); समासः—रुद्राणां कोटिः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• ज्येष्ठेश्वरम्: Jyeṣṭheśvara (name)
• ज्येष्ठेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठ + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—ज्येष्ठः ईश्वरः इति कर्मधारय

• महालयम्: Mahālaya (name)
• महालयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (नाम), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—महान् आलयः इति कर्मधारय

• गोकर्णम्: Gokarṇa (name)
• गोकर्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (स्थलनाम), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—गोः कर्णः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• रुद्रकर्णम्: Rudrakarṇa (name)
• रुद्रकर्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (नाम), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—रुद्रस्य कर्णः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• वर्णाख्यम्: called ‘Varṇa’/named Varṇa
• वर्णाख्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ण + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—वर्णेन आख्यं (नाम) इति तृतीया-तत्पुरुष; विशेषणम् (of a tīrtha-name)

• स्थापसंज्ञकम्: having the name ‘Sthāpa’
• स्थापसंज्ञकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थाप + संज्ञक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—स्थापा संज्ञा यस्य तत् इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from section context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Cluster of Prabhāsa-associated tīrthas: Vastrāpatha, Rudrakoṭi, Jyeṣṭheśvara, Mahālaya, Gokarṇa, Rudrakarṇa, Varṇākhya (Sthāpa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrimage procession moves through a chain of shrines: a cloth-market road (Vastrāpatha), a vast assembly of Rudras (Rudrakoṭi), an ancient linga of Jyeṣṭheśvara, a solemn Mahālaya grove, and a coastal/riverine Gokarṇa shrine; each station marked by distinct iconography yet unified by Śaiva symbols.

Characters & Entities

• Vastrāpatha
• Rudrakoṭi
• Jyeṣṭheśvara
• Mahālaya
• Gokarṇa
• Rudrakarṇa
• Varṇākhya
• Sthāpa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The kṣetra’s holiness is expressed through many Rudra-linked names, presenting Prabhāsa as a multi-centered Śaiva pilgrimage landscape.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vastrāpatha, Rudrakoṭi, Jyeṣṭheśvara, Mahālaya, Gokarṇa, Rudrakarṇa, and Varṇākhya/Sthāpa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the verse continues the enumerative māhātmya for pilgrims and reciters.