Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 101

Devanagari script

यत्रयत्र शिवक्षेत्रं यत्र तीर्थं तु शांकरम् । तत्र गच्छति राजेन्द्र वैष्णवं नैव गच्छति

Transliteration

yatrayatra śivakṣetraṃ yatra tīrthaṃ tu śāṃkaram | tatra gacchati rājendra vaiṣṇavaṃ naiva gacchati

Translation

يا ملك، حيثما وُجد حقلٌ مقدّس لِشِيفا (شيفا-كشيترا)، وحيثما وُجد مَعبرٌ مقدّس لِشَنْكَرَا (شانكرا-تيرثا)، فإلى هناك يذهب؛ أمّا المزارات الفيشناويّة فلا يقصدها.

Word by Word

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Desha-sambandha (Relative locative/यत्र)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक सम्बन्धबोधक (relative adverb: where)

• यत्र: wherever
• यत्र: Desha-sambandha (Relative locative/यत्र)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोग (repetition for emphasis: wherever)

• शिवक्षेत्रम्: a Śiva holy-field
• शिवक्षेत्रम्: Karta (Subject of implied ‘is’/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; शिवस्य क्षेत्रम् इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Desha-sambandha (Relative locative/यत्र)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (where)

• तीर्थम्: a pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karta (Subject of implied ‘is’/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तु: indeed, and
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/तु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधसूचक (emphatic/contrast particle)

• शांकरम्: Śaiva, belonging to Śaṅkara
• शांकरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शांकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तीर्थम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (there)

• गच्छति: goes
• गच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—“राज्ञां इन्द्रः”

• वैष्णवम्: a Vaiṣṇava (place/rite)
• वैष्णवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (तीर्थ/क्षेत्र) इति शेषे कर्मपद

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• एव: indeed, at all
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis: just/indeed)

• गच्छति: goes
• गच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator within Dvārakā Māhātmya (contextual purāṇic narrator addressing a king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śiva-kṣetra / Śaṅkara-tīrtha (generic category)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (rājendra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A resolute pilgrim points toward Śiva-kṣetras on a symbolic map while turning away from Vaiṣṇava shrines; the king listens as the narrator describes his travel choices.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Śaṅkara
• Vaiṣṇava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It emphasizes unwavering devotion expressed through pilgrimage: the devotee prioritizes Śiva-kṣetras and Śaṅkara-tīrthas as the highest sacred destinations.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse broadly glorifies Śiva-kṣetras and Śaṅkara-tīrthas; within this chapter’s flow, it supports the wider Prabhāsa–Dvārakā sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; the implied practice is tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage) to Śiva-associated holy places.