Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

प्रबोधवासरे प्राप्ते कार्तिके द्विज सत्तमाः । संपूज्य कृष्णं देवेशं परां गतिमवाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

prabodhavāsare prāpte kārtike dvija sattamāḥ | saṃpūjya kṛṣṇaṃ deveśaṃ parāṃ gatimavāpnuyāt

Translation

يا خيرَ ذوي الولادتين! إذا أتى يومُ برابودها (Prabodha) في شهر كارتِّيكا (Kārttika)، فمن عبد كريشنا، ربَّ الآلهة، عبادةً تامّة نال المقام الأعلى.

Word by Word

• प्रबोधवासरे: on the day of awakening (Prabodha)
• प्रबोधवासरे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रबोध + वासर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रबोधस्य वासरः)

• प्राप्ते: when (it) has come/arrived
• प्राप्ते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक), सप्तमी-एकवचन; Locative absolute with कार्तिके: ‘when (it is) arrived’

• कार्तिके: in Kārtika
• कार्तिके: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular (in Kārtika month)

• द्विज: O twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा, एकवचन; Vocative singular (address)

• सत्तमाः: O best (ones)
• सत्तमाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Vocative plural; ‘best ones’ (address)

• संपूज्य: having worshipped
• संपूज्य: Kriya (Gerundial prior action/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त), पूर्वकाल; Absolutive

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

• देवेशम्: the Lord of the gods
• देवेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानाम् ईशः)

• पराम्: supreme
• पराम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; विशेषणम् (qualifies गतिम्)

• गतिम्: state/goal
• गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• अवाप्नुयात्: would attain
• अवाप्नुयात्: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd person singular optative

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice within Dvārakā Māhātmya; specific speaker not explicit in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-sattamāḥ (best of twice-born)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kārttika night transitioning to dawn; devotees awaken the Lord with lamps and music, offering full worship to Kṛṣṇa as Devēśa; the atmosphere suggests ‘awakening’ and ascent toward the supreme state.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Deveśa
• Kārttika
• Prabodha (day)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wholehearted worship of Kṛṣṇa at the auspicious Kārttika-Prabodha time leads to the highest spiritual attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dvārakā sacred region, especially the kṣetra connected with the Gomati riverbank (as per the chapter’s theme).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform complete worship (saṃpūjā) of Kṛṣṇa on the Prabodha day during Kārttika.