Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

तत्र पूर्वं वपुर्नाम्ना लोके ख्याता वराप्सराः । सिद्धिं गता महाराज यथा पूर्वं निगद्यते

Transliteration

tatra pūrvaṃ vapurnāmnā loke khyātā varāpsarāḥ | siddhiṃ gatā mahārāja yathā pūrvaṃ nigadyate

Translation

ข้าแต่มหาราช ณ ที่นั้นในกาลก่อน มีอัปสราผู้ประเสริฐนามว่า “วปุร” อันเลื่องลือในโลก ได้บรรลุความสำเร็จอันสมบูรณ์ ดังที่เล่าขานมาแต่โบราณ

Word by Word

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

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• पूर्वम्: Kala-adhikarana (Time adjunct/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण) — indeclinable adverb of time

• वपुः: (one named) Vapuḥ
• वपुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — neuter nominative singular

• नाम्ना: by the name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — instrumental singular; ‘by name’

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन — locative singular

• ख्याता: renowned, famous
• ख्याता: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्यात (√ख्यात्/ख्यै धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — past participle used adjectivally

• वरा: excellent, best
• वरा: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — feminine nominative singular

• अप्सराः: apsarases (celestial nymphs)
• अप्सराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — feminine nominative plural

• सिद्धिम्: success, attainment
• सिद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — accusative singular

• गता: attained, went to
• गता: Kriya (Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गत (√गम् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — past participle; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्रियार्थे ‘has gone/attained’

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन — vocative singular

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपमान/प्रकारवाचक) — indeclinable ‘as, just as’

• पूर्वम्: before, earlier
• पूर्वम्: Kala-adhikarana (Time adjunct/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक) — indeclinable adverb ‘formerly’

• निगद्यते: is told, is narrated
• निगद्यते: Kriya (Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + √गद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive) — present indicative, 3rd sg, passive

Speaker

Pulastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rūpatīrtha

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahārāja / king

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Rūpatīrtha, an apsaras named Vapur—radiant and poised—stands near the sacred waters, her transformation and attainment of siddhi suggested by a halo-like glow and celestial attendants.

Characters & Entities

• Vapur (apsaras)
• Rūpatīrtha (implied by context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-māhātmya is validated through exemplary narratives showing transformation and siddhi.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Rūpatīrtha, where the apsaras Vapur is said to have attained siddhi.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the verse introduces a tīrtha-legend that implies bathing and worship at Rūpatīrtha.