Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

तत्र सिद्धः पाशुपतः कपिलर्षिर्महातपाः । तत्रास्ति हि गुहा रम्या कपिलेश्वर संनिधौ

Transliteration

tatra siddhaḥ pāśupataḥ kapilarṣirmahātapāḥ | tatrāsti hi guhā ramyā kapileśvara saṃnidhau

Translation

ณ ที่นั้น ฤๅษีกปิละ มหาตบะ ผู้สำเร็จในมรรคปาศุปตะ สถิตอยู่ และใกล้สำนักกปิเลศวรยังมีถ้ำอันรื่นรมย์งดงาม

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of place)

• सिद्धः: the Siddha (perfected being)
• सिद्धः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक; √सिध् (धातु) ‘सिद्धौ’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘सिद्ध’ (accomplished one)

• पाशुपतः: Pāśupata (devotee of Paśupati)
• पाशुपतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाशुपत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjectival)

• कपिलर्षिः: the sage Kapila
• कपिलर्षिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिल (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘कपिलः ऋषिः’

• महातपाः: of great austerity
• महातपाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘महान् तपाः’ (great ascetic)

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

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• गुहा: a cave
• गुहा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• रम्या: beautiful
• रम्या: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• कपिलेश्वर: Kapileśvara (Lord of Kapila / Kapila’s Lord)
• कपिलेश्वर: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिल (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative); प्रातिपदिकरूपेण (as first member of compound with following)

• संनिधौ: in the vicinity/presence
• संनिधौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संनिधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘संनिधि’ = presence/vicinity

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapileśvara-guhā (near Kapileśvara)

Type: cave

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Primary interlocutor of Kāśīkhaṇḍa (traditional frame: sages/Śaunaka group or equivalent)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene Śaiva shrine of Kapileśvara with an adjacent shaded cave-mouth; Kapila Ṛṣi, ash-smeared and radiant with tapas, sits in meditation as pilgrims approach with lamps.

Characters & Entities

• Kapila Ṛṣi
• Pāśupata
• Kapileśvara
• guhā (cave)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s sacred geography in Kāśī is sanctified by perfected sages; proximity to Kapileśvara is itself a sign of spiritual potency.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The vicinity of Kapileśvara in Kāśī, especially a charming cave (guhā) near the shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated here; the verse establishes the sanctity of the place by naming Kapila and the cave near Kapileśvara.