Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

सुतप्तेनेह तपसा यज्ञैर्वा बहुदक्षिणैः । तां गतिं ते नरा यान्ति ये गोपीरविमाश्रिताः

Transliteration

sutapteneha tapasā yajñairvā bahudakṣiṇaiḥ | tāṃ gatiṃ te narā yānti ye gopīravimāśritāḥ

Translation

إن المقام الذي يُنال هنا بتقشّفٍ شديد، أو بقرابين يَجْنَةٍ غزيرة الدكشِنا—يناله كذلك الرجال الذين يلجأون إلى غوبي-رافي (غوبياديتيا).

Word by Word

• सु-तप्तेन: by well-performed (austerity)
• सु-तप्तेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + तप्त (तप् धातु + क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास (सु + तप्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental) एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तपसा)

• इह: here
• इह: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देश/कालवाचक (adverb: here/in this world)

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental) एकवचन

• यज्ञैः: by sacrifices
• यज्ञैः: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental) बहुवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle: or)

• बहु-दक्षिणैः: with many fees (gifts)
• बहु-दक्षिणैः: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (बह्वीः दक्षिणाः येषां ते), पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental) बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (यज्ञैः)

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गतिम्)

• गतिम्: state/goal
• गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचन

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (नराः)

• नराः: men/people
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) बहुवचन

• यान्ति: attain/go
• यान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) बहुवचन

• गोपि-रवि-आश्रिताः: who have taken refuge in Gopī-Ravi
• गोपि-रवि-आश्रिताः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोपि (प्रातिपदिक) + रवि (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रित (आ-श्रि धातु + क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (गोप्याः रविम् आश्रिताः / गोप्याः-रविः इति देवता-विशेषः), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (ये)

Speaker

Śiva (deduced: narration to Devī within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gopī-Ravi / Gopyāditya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Maheśvarī (addressed as ‘O Maheśvarī’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims at Prabhāsa approach a radiant solar emblem/shrine named Gopyāditya near the sea-coast, offering arghya with folded hands; the text’s theme is that refuge here grants the highest gati equal to tapas and yajña.

Characters & Entities

• Gopīravi (Gopyāditya)
• Tapas
• Yajña
• Dakṣiṇā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Taking refuge in the tīrtha-deity is presented as an accessible path to the same high spiritual goal otherwise gained through severe tapas or costly yajñas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mitravana/Prabhāsa-kṣetra through devotion to Gopī-Ravi (Gopyāditya).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Āśraya/śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) in Gopī-Ravi is highlighted; tapas and yajña with abundant dakṣiṇā are referenced as comparative means.