Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

सूर्यं प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य संपूज्य कपिलेश्वरम् । उपलिप्ते शुभे देशे पुष्पाक्षतविभूषिते

Transliteration

sūryaṃ pradakṣiṇīkṛtya saṃpūjya kapileśvaram | upalipte śubhe deśe puṣpākṣatavibhūṣite

Translation

സൂര്യനെ പ്രദക്ഷിണം ചെയ്ത് കപിലേശ്വരനെ സമ്യക് പൂജിച്ച ശേഷം, പുതുതായി ലേപനം ചെയ്ത ശുഭസ്ഥാനത്തേക്ക് പോകണം; അത് പുഷ്പവും അക്ഷതവും കൊണ്ട് അലങ്കരിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കും।

Word by Word

• सूर्यम्: the Sun (deity)
• सूर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य: having circumambulated
• प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रदक्षिणी√कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• संपूज्य: having duly worshipped
• संपूज्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• कपिलेश्वरम्: Kapileśvara (Lord Kapila)
• कपिलेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिल + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कपिलस्य ईश्वरः)

• उपलिप्ते: smeared/plastered
• उपलिप्ते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + √लिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘देशे’ इति विशेषण

• शुभे: auspicious
• शुभे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘देशे’ इति विशेषण

• देशे: in a place
• देशे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• पुष्पाक्षतविभूषिते: adorned with flowers and unbroken rice
• पुष्पाक्षतविभूषिते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्प + अक्षत + विभूषित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘विभूषित’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थे (पुष्पैः अक्षतैः च विभूषितः) ‘देशे’ इति विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapileśvara (at/near Kapilā-saṅgama)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee circles a solar emblem/altar, then approaches a Śiva-liṅga shrine labeled Kapileśvara; attendants smear the ground with fresh clay/cow-dung mixture; flowers and rice grains are scattered in patterns.

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya
• Kapileśvara (Śiva)
• Pradakṣiṇā
• Akṣata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred practice is holistic: honor Sūrya’s cosmic light and Śiva’s lordship at Kapileśvara, then establish worship on a ritually pure ground.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kapileśvara in Prabhāsakṣetra (Prabhāsa), as praised in the Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform pradakṣiṇā of Sūrya, worship Kapileśvara, and prepare a smeared, decorated worship area with flowers and akṣata.