Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 116

Devanagari script

ततः सरस्वतीं पूज्य कपर्दिनमथार्चयेत्

Transliteration

tataḥ sarasvatīṃ pūjya kapardinamathārcayet

Translation

त्यानंतर सरस्वतीची पूजा करून, मग कपर्दिन (शिव) यांचे अर्चन करावे.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: सम्बन्ध/अनुक्रम (Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• सरस्वतीम्: Sarasvatī
• सरस्वतीम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• पूज्य: having worshipped
• पूज्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund)

• कपर्दिनम्: Kapardin (Śiva)
• कपर्दिनम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपर्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• अथ: then/next
• अथ: सम्बन्ध/अनुक्रम (Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarasvatī (Prabhāsa context) and Kapardin-Śiva shrine within Prabhāsakṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two-step worship scene: first, Sarasvatī as a river-goddess receives offerings at the water’s edge; then the devotee turns to a Śiva shrine/liṅga, worshiping Kapardin—matted-haired lord—within the same sacred precinct.

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī
• Kapardin (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha practice is structured: honoring the local divine presence culminates in worship of Śiva as the supreme sanctifier.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s Sarasvatī and the Śaiva shrine/form known as Kapardin.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform pūjā to Sarasvatī first, then arcana to Kapardin (Śiva).