Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

इदं तपोवनं देवि ख्यातं गौर्या महाप्रभम् । धनुषां पचपंचाशत्समंतात्परिमंडलम्

Transliteration

idaṃ tapovanaṃ devi khyātaṃ gauryā mahāprabham | dhanuṣāṃ pacapaṃcāśatsamaṃtātparimaṃḍalam

Translation

ഹേ ദേവി, ഈ തപോവനം ഗൗരിയാൽ പ്രസിദ്ധവും മഹാപ്രഭയുള്ളതുമാണ്. ഇത് എല്ലാദിക്കുകളിലും അമ്പത്തിയഞ്ച് ധനുസ്സിന്റെ അളവിൽ വൃത്താകാരമായി വ്യാപിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• तपोवनम्: forest of austerities (penance-grove)
• तपोवनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ख्यातम्: renowned, well-known
• ख्यातम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्या (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; तपोवनम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• गौर्या: by Gaurī
• गौर्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• महाप्रभम्: very splendid, greatly radiant
• महाप्रभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; तपोवनम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• धनुषाम्: of bows (as a measure)
• धनुषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पञ्चपञ्चाशत्: fifty-five
• पञ्चपञ्चाशत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च + पञ्चाशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-शब्दः; परिमाणवाचक (numeral), ‘धनुषाम्’ इत्यनेन सह परिमाणम् सूचयति

• समन्तात्: on all sides, all around
• समन्तात्: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्तात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपपद-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• परिमण्डलम्: circular, encircled (in extent)
• परिमण्डलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; तपोवनम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaurī-tapo-vana

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Gaurī/Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous circular grove (tapovana) marked as a sacred maṇḍala; Gaurī’s presence is suggested—either as an ascetic figure in meditation or as a sanctifying aura—while the narrator indicates the measured expanse (55 dhanuṣ).

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Devī (Pārvatī)
• Gaurī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic māhātmya sanctifies geography: the holy grove is mapped and praised as a tangible field of austerity and divine presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaurī’s tapovana (sacred grove of austerities) within the Prabhāsa Kṣetra narrative landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse provides sacred-site description and extent, supporting pilgrimage orientation.