Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

कायः सुवर्णतां प्राप कपालं पतितं करात् । ज्ञात्वैवं शंकिना पूर्वं कृतं तत्र महातपः

Transliteration

kāyaḥ suvarṇatāṃ prāpa kapālaṃ patitaṃ karāt | jñātvaivaṃ śaṃkinā pūrvaṃ kṛtaṃ tatra mahātapaḥ

Translation

他的身躯现出金色光辉，骷髅钵从手中坠落。知此缘由，商迦（Śaṅkha／Śaṅkhi）往昔曾在彼处修行大苦行（tapas）。

Word by Word

• कायः: body
• कायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुवर्णताम्: golden-ness; a golden state
• सुवर्णताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्णता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• प्राप: attained
• प्राप: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्राप्/आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कपालम्: skull-bowl
• कपालम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन

• पतितम्: fallen
• पतितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु) → पतित (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• करात्: from the hand
• करात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): ‘having known’

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb: ‘thus’)

• शंकिना: by Śaṅkin (a person named Śaṅkin)
• शंकिना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Kaaladhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb: ‘formerly/before’)

• कृतम्: was performed/done
• कृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (was done)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb: ‘there’)

• महातपः: great austerity/penance
• महातपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (great austerity)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prācī Sarasvatī / Brahmakuṇḍa vicinity (Prabhāsa-kṣetra)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva at the riverbank: the kapāla slips and falls from his hand at the very moment his body shines like gold; nearby sages witness in astonished serenity. In a later vignette, Śaṅkha/Śaṅkhi performs severe austerities—standing on one leg, arms raised—at the same tīrtha.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (implied)
• Kapāla
• Śaṅkhin (Śaṅkhi)
• Tapas
• Prabhāsakṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha’s sanctity is shown through transformative signs—purification, release from affliction, and the fruit of austerity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same Sarasvatī–Brahmakuṇḍa/Prabhāsa locale implied by the preceding verses, famed for instant purification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Mahā-tapas (great austerity) performed at the site, exemplified by Śaṅkhin.