Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

तत्र मध्ये स्थिता देवी एकपादा तपोन्विता । तस्या उत्तरतो देवि किंचिदीशानसंस्थितम्

Transliteration

tatra madhye sthitā devī ekapādā taponvitā | tasyā uttarato devi kiṃcidīśānasaṃsthitam

Translation

其中央立有女神，独足而修苦行。于她之北，噢，女神，有一物稍偏向伊沙那（Īśāna，东北）方位而安置。

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्थितā: standing, situated
• स्थितā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन; देवी इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• देवी: the Goddess
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• एकपादा: one-footed (standing on one foot)
• एकपादा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन; देवी इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तपोन्विता: endowed with austerity
• तपोन्विता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (anvita = endowed), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन; देवी इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• उत्तरतः: to the north of
• उत्तरतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्तरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: दिक्-वाचक-अव्यय (directional adverb)

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• किञ्चित्: somewhat, a little
• किञ्चित्: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किञ्चित् (सर्वनाम/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (indefinite adverb: ‘a little/somewhat’)

• ईशानसंस्थितम्: situated in the northeast (Īśāna direction)
• ईशानसंस्थितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईशान + संस्थित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (saṃsthita = situated), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; (लिङ्गम्/स्थानम्) इत्यादि नपुंसक-पदार्थस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaurīśvara area within Prabhāsa-kṣetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A central sanctum-like clearing in Prabhāsa where a one-footed ascetic Goddess stands in deep tapas; to the north-northeast, a hinted shrine-space or linga presence, with subtle directional markers (NE corner luminous).

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Devī (Pārvatī)
• Gaurī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas (austerity) is portrayed as the sanctifying power of place, and sacred directionality frames how the site is understood and approached.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The central locus of Gaurī’s tapovana in Prabhāsa Kṣetra, with a noted feature toward the Īśāna (northeast) side.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse emphasizes the Goddess’s austerity posture and the sacred orientation of the site.