Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

गंध पुष्पोपहारैश्च धूपवस्त्रादिभूषणैः । ततो गच्छेद्द्विजश्रेष्ठाः कृष्णं देवकिनन्दनम् । संपूज्यः प्रथमं तत्र गणेशो रुक्मिसंज्ञकः

Transliteration

gaṃdha puṣpopahāraiśca dhūpavastrādibhūṣaṇaiḥ | tato gaccheddvijaśreṣṭhāḥ kṛṣṇaṃ devakinandanam | saṃpūjyaḥ prathamaṃ tatra gaṇeśo rukmisaṃjñakaḥ

Translation

وبقرابين الطِّيب والزهور، وبالبخور والكسوة وسائر الحُلِيّ—ثم، يا خيرَ ذوي الولادتين، امضِ إلى كِرِشْنا (Kṛṣṇa) ابنِ دِفَكِي (Devakī). وهناك، أوّلًا، ينبغي أن تُؤدَّى العبادة على وجهها لغانِيشا (Gaṇeśa) المعروف باسم «رُكْمِي» (Rukmi).

Word by Word

• गन्ध: fragrance
• गन्ध: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; (elliptic: गन्धं)

• पुष्प-उपहारैः: with flower-offerings
• पुष्प-उपहारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + उपहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• धूप-वस्त्र-आदि-भूषणैः: with ornaments such as incense and garments
• धूप-वस्त्र-आदि-भूषणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, काल/क्रमवाचक (then/thereafter)

• गच्छेत्: should go
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विज-श्रेष्ठाः: the best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विज-श्रेष्ठाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• कृष्णम्: Krishna
• कृष्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• देवकी-नन्दनम्: Devaki's son
• देवकी-नन्दनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवकी (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; कृष्णस्य विशेषणम्

• सम्पूज्यः: is to be worshipped
• सम्पूज्यः: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be worshipped)

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: firstly)

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

• गणेशः: Ganesha
• गणेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/विषय), एकवचन

• रुक्मि-संज्ञकः: named 'Rukmi'
• रुक्मि-संज्ञकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुक्मि (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गणेशस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Śrīprahlāda (narrative voice within Dvārakā Māhātmya context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā-kṣetra (Gaṇeśa Rukmi at the gate)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvija-śreṣṭhas (addressed pilgrims)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession of brāhmaṇa pilgrims carrying fragrant offerings, flowers, incense, garments, and ornaments; at the gate stands Gaṇeśa ‘Rukmi’ receiving first worship, beyond which the path leads to Kṛṣṇa Devakīnandana.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Devakī
• Gaṇeśa
• Rukmi (as Gaṇeśa-name)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right approach to the Lord includes beginning with Gaṇeśa—remover of obstacles—according to the dhāma’s established ritual order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, focusing on the approach to Devakīnandana Kṛṣṇa within the sacred city.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform pūjā with gandha, flowers, incense, garments, and adornments; worship ‘Rukmi’ Gaṇeśa first, then proceed to Kṛṣṇa.