Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

धन्यास्ते मानवा लोके कलिकाले नरोत्तम । प्लवनं सिंधुतोयेन गोमत्यां यैर्नरैः कृतम्

Transliteration

dhanyāste mānavā loke kalikāle narottama | plavanaṃ siṃdhutoyena gomatyāṃ yairnaraiḥ kṛtam

Translation

يا خيرَ الرجال! طوبى لأهلِ هذا العالم في عصرِ كَلي، أولئك الذين أدّوا فعلَ «پلاڤَنا»—عبورًا أو غَمْسًا تعبّديًّا—في نهرِ غوماتي بمياهِ السِّندهو (البحر).

Word by Word

• धन्याः: blessed
• धन्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• मानवाः: people/men
• मानवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• कलिकाले: in the Kali age
• कलिकाले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलिकाल (प्रातिपदिक) < कलि + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कलेः कालः)

• नरोत्तम: O best of men
• नरोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरोत्तम (प्रातिपदिक) < नर + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (नरः एव उत्तमः)

• प्लवनम्: crossing/float-rite (fording)
• प्लवनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• सिन्धुतोयेन: with the river-water
• सिन्धुतोयेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिन्धुतोय (प्रातिपदिक) < सिन्धु + तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सिन्धोः तोयम्)

• गोमत्याम्: in/at (the river) Gomati
• गोमत्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोमती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; नदी-नाम

• यैः: by whom
• यैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-सर्वनाम

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• कृतम्: done/performed
• कृतम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (past passive participle: 'done')

Speaker

Unknown (within Dvārakā Māhātmya narration; likely a Purāṇic narrator addressing a listener)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gomatī (Dvārakā) / Gomati-sangama with Sindhu (sea)

Type: sangam

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nara-uttama (best of men)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims joyfully yet reverently entering the Gomati where it meets the sea; waves and river currents interlace; priests on ghāṭ steps; distant Dvārakā temple spire; sunrise light over water.

Characters & Entities

• Kali-yuga
• Gomatī
• Sindhu (sea/ocean)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even in Kali-yuga, pilgrimage acts like sacred bathing are praised as accessible means to earn blessing and purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Gomatī tīrtha (associated with Dvārakā), with reference to the Sindhu/sea waters.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Plavana/snānā—entering, bathing, or swimming in the Gomatī in the sacred coastal setting.