Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

कापिलं प्रथमं विद्धि प्राजापत्यं द्वितीयकम् । ब्राह्मं सौम्यं च सावित्रं बार्हस्पत्यं प्रभासकम्

Transliteration

kāpilaṃ prathamaṃ viddhi prājāpatyaṃ dvitīyakam | brāhmaṃ saumyaṃ ca sāvitraṃ bārhaspatyaṃ prabhāsakam

Translation

จงรู้เถิด กัลปะแรกคือ ‘กาปิล’ กัลปะที่สองคือ ‘ปราชาปัตยะ’; ต่อมาคือ ‘พราหมะ’ ‘เสามยะ’ และ ‘สาวิตระ’ ‘พารหสปัตยะ’ และ ‘ประภาสกะ’

Word by Word

• कापिलम्: the Kāpil(a) (kalpa)
• कापिलम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कापिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (कल्पनाम)

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• विद्धि: know (you)
• विद्धि: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्राजापत्यम्: the Prājāpatya (kalpa)
• प्राजापत्यम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राजापत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (कल्पनाम)

• द्वितीयकम्: second
• द्वितीयकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीयक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ब्राह्मम्: the Brāhma (kalpa)
• ब्राह्मम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (कल्पनाम)

• सौम्यम्: the Saumya (kalpa)
• सौम्यम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (कल्पनाम)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सावित्रम्: the Sāvitra (kalpa)
• सावित्रम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (कल्पनाम)

• बार्हस्पत्यम्: the Bārhaspatya (kalpa)
• बार्हस्पत्यम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बार्हस्पत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (कल्पनाम)

• प्रभासकम्: the Prabhāsaka (kalpa)
• प्रभासकम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभासक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (कल्पनाम)

Speaker

A Purāṇic narrator (listing kalpa-names as taught by Devī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍava

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic moment: the narrator recites a formal list of kalpas, as if reading from a sacred register, with subtle cosmic iconography (wheels, lotuses, sun/moon) behind.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā (Revā)
• Kāpila Kalpa
• Prājāpatya Kalpa
• Brāhma Kalpa
• Saumya Kalpa
• Sāvitra Kalpa
• Bārhaspatya Kalpa
• Prabhāsaka Kalpa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

By naming kalpas, the text anchors Narmadā’s praise in cosmic time, presenting her as a sacred presence recognized across ages.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Narmadā/Revā indirectly—these kalpa names belong to the narrative of her uninterrupted existence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is a cosmological enumeration supporting the Mahātmya.