Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

प्राचीनेशात्परं तीर्थं वालखिल्येश्वरं महत् । तत्र तस्मान्महातीर्थात्तीर्थमन्यन्महो दयम्

Transliteration

prācīneśātparaṃ tīrthaṃ vālakhilyeśvaraṃ mahat | tatra tasmānmahātīrthāttīrthamanyanmaho dayam

Translation

ପ୍ରାଚୀନେଶର ପରେ ବାଲଖିଲ୍ୟେଶ୍ୱର ନାମକ ମହାତୀର୍ଥ ଅଛି। ସେହି ମହାତୀର୍ଥର ପରେ ଆଉ ଏକ ମହାମଙ୍ଗଳମୟ ତୀର୍ଥ ଅଛି।

Word by Word

• prācīneśāt: from Prācīneśa
• prācīneśāt: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prācīna (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (प्राचीनेश = ‘Prācīneśa’ नाम); पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• param: further/next
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) — agreeing with tīrtham

• tīrtham: a sacred place
• tīrtham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• vālakhilyeśvaram: Vālakhilyeśvara
• vālakhilyeśvaram: Samjñā (Name/संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vālakhilya (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine) — apposition/name of the tīrtha

• mahat: great
• mahat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine) — agreeing with vālakhilyeśvaram

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• tasmāt: from that
• tasmāt: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• mahā-tīrthāt: from the great sacred place
• mahā-tīrthāt: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘great tīrtha’); पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• tīrtham: a sacred place
• tīrtham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• anyat: another
• anyat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) — agreeing with tīrtham

• mahodayam: Mahodaya (name)
• mahodayam: Samjñā (Name/संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + udaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘great rising/auspicious’ as name); द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) — apposition/name of tīrtham

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vālakhilyeśvara

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim path beyond a shrine of Prācīneśa leading to a prominent Śiva-liṅga site named Vālakhilyeśvara; signposts of successive tīrthas, ascetics (vālakhilya-sages) implied by name.

Characters & Entities

• Prācīneśa/Prācīneśvara
• Vālakhilyeśvara
• Vālakhilyas (implied sages)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra is mapped as a chain of increasingly beneficent tīrthas, encouraging systematic pilgrimage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vālakhilyeśvara Tīrtha, situated beyond Prācīneśvara in Prabhāsa-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the verse primarily gives tīrtha-topography and praise.