Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

पुण्यसंख्या च तीर्थानां ब्रह्मणा विहिता पुरा । दानाध्ययन संज्ञानां मुक्त्वा द्वारवतीं कलौ

Transliteration

puṇyasaṃkhyā ca tīrthānāṃ brahmaṇā vihitā purā | dānādhyayana saṃjñānāṃ muktvā dvāravatīṃ kalau

Translation

قديماً سنَّ براهما مقاديرَ الثواب الخاصّ بالتيـرثات (المعابر المقدّسة)؛ أمّا في عصر كالي، فإذا تُرِكت دڤارافتي جانباً فإنّ ثواب الصدقة وتلاوة العلم المقدّس وسائر الأعمال الدينية المعروفة يغدو أقلّ بالقياس.

Word by Word

• पुण्य-संख्या: the count/measure of merit
• पुण्य-संख्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (feminine, nominative singular)

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

• तीर्थानाम्: of the sacred places
• तीर्थानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (neuter, genitive plural)

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, instrumental singular)

• विहिता: ordained/laid down
• विहिता: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adj./विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + धा (धातु) → विहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि (PPP, feminine nom. sg.; ‘ordained/arranged’)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• दान-अध्ययन: giving and study
• दान-अध्ययन: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक) + अध्ययन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-समास; (समाहार-द्वन्द्व)

• संज्ञानाम्: of the designations/means
• संज्ञानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (feminine, genitive plural)

• मुक्त्वा: having left/excepting
• मुक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Gerund/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (having left/excepting)

• द्वारवतीम्: Dvāravatī (Dvārakā)
• द्वारवतीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (feminine, accusative singular)

• कलौ: in the Kali age
• कलौ: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, locative singular)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvāravatī (Dvārakā)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā seated with a cosmic ledger measuring ‘puṇya’ of various tīrthas; scales show dāna and adhyayana weights, yet a radiant emblem of Dvāravatī outweighs them in Kali-yuga. Pilgrims below choose the Dvārakā path.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Dvāravatī (Dvārakā)
• Tīrthas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dvārakā is elevated as uniquely potent in Kali-yuga, even when compared with standard dharmic acts like charity and Vedic study.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvāravatī (Dvārakā) is presented as the exceptional tīrtha in Kali-yuga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna (charity) and adhyayana (scriptural study) are referenced, but the verse emphasizes Dvārakā’s superior tīrtha-merit.