Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

शबरस्वर्गगमनं माहात्म्यं शूलभेदजम् । कपिलेश्वरतीर्थं च मोक्षतीर्थमतः परम्

Transliteration

śabarasvargagamanaṃ māhātmyaṃ śūlabhedajam | kapileśvaratīrthaṃ ca mokṣatīrthamataḥ param

Translation

शबरस्य स्वर्गगमनं शूलभेदजन्यं माहात्म्यं च कथ्यते; कपिलेश्वरतीर्थं च, ततोऽपि परं मोक्षतीर्थं विद्यते।

Word by Word

• शबरस्वर्गगमनम्: the Śabara’s going to heaven
• शबरस्वर्गगमनम्: Visheshya/Item (enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शबर-स्वर्ग-गमन (प्रातिपदिक; शबर + स्वर्ग + गमन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• माहात्म्यम्: the greatness (glory)
• माहात्म्यम्: Visheshya/Item (enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• शूलभेदजम्: arising from the piercing of the trident
• शूलभेदजम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूल-भेद-ज (प्रातिपदिक; शूल + भेद + ज)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier)

• कपिलेश्वरतीर्थम्: Kapileśvara tīrtha
• कपिलेश्वरतीर्थम्: Visheshya/Item (enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिल-ईश्वर-तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; कपिल + ईश्वर + तीर्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• मोक्षतीर्थम्: Mokṣa tīrtha
• मोक्षतीर्थम्: Visheshya/Item (enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष-तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; मोक्ष + तीर्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अतः: thereafter/from this
• अतः: Sambandha (Discourse adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/अनन्तरार्थ (indeclinable: 'thereafter/from this')

• परम्: supreme/next
• परम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapileśvara Tīrtha; Mokṣa Tīrtha; Śūlabheda (mahātmya-source)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Śabara devotee is lifted toward heaven (vimāna or divine hands) near a marked spot called Śūlabheda; then a pilgrim procession moves to Kapileśvara and onward to Mokṣa Tīrtha with liṅga shrines by the river.

Characters & Entities

• Śabara
• Svarga
• Śūlabheda
• Kapileśvara Tīrtha
• Mokṣa Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic grace is inclusive: even a Śabara attains heaven through the māhātmya linked to Śūlabheda, and tīrthas culminate in the promise of mokṣa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kapileśvara Tīrtha is named, and Mokṣa Tīrtha is presented as a subsequent, liberation-associated destination.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the verse emphasizes the salvific potency (māhātmya) associated with the tīrtha-narrative.