Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

अस्मिन्प्राभासिके क्षेत्रे सूर्यस्थलसमीपतः । आराधयंतो देवेशं गुहामध्यनिवासिनम्

Transliteration

asminprābhāsike kṣetre sūryasthalasamīpataḥ | ārādhayaṃto deveśaṃ guhāmadhyanivāsinam

Translation

ഈ പ്രഭാസക്ഷേത്രത്തിൽ, സൂര്യസ്ഥാനത്തിനടുത്ത്, ഗുഹയുടെ അന്തർഭാഗത്തിൽ വസിക്കുന്ന ദേവേശനെ അവർ ആരാധിച്ചു കൊണ്ടിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्राभासिके: in the Prābhāsika
• प्राभासिके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राभासिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; क्षेत्रे इति विशेष्येण सह

• क्षेत्रे: in the sacred field/place
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• सूर्यस्थलसमीपतः: from/near the Sun’s place (Sūrya-sthala)
• सूर्यस्थलसमीपतः: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सूर्य-स्थल-समīप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त), पञ्चमी-अर्थे ‘-तः’ (ablatival adverb): ‘समीपात्/समीपे’

• आराधयन्तः: worshipping
• आराधयन्तः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-राध् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदी

• देवेशम्: the Lord of gods
• देवेशम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘देवानाम् ईशः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• गुहामध्यनिवासिनम्: dwelling in the middle of the cave
• गुहामध्यनिवासिनम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुहा-मध्य-निवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; देवेशम् इति विशेष्येण सह; ‘गुहायाः मध्ये निवासिन्’ इति तत्पुरुष

Speaker

Narrator (likely Skanda) addressing Devī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sūrya-sthala (near Prabhāsa) and the guhā-sthita Deveśa shrine

Type: cave

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession of Vālakhilya sages worship near a Sūrya shrine; nearby, a dark cave opens with a luminous deity seated within, the contrast of outer sunlight and inner radiance emphasized.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa Kṣetra
• Sūryasthala
• Deveśa (Śiva)
• Guhā (cave)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True worship seeks the indwelling Lord—even in hidden sanctuaries like caves—revealing the depth of tīrtha-sacrality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, specifically the area near Sūryasthala and the cave sanctum.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ārādhana (devotional worship/propitiation) of Deveśa (Śiva) at the cave shrine.