Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

अक्षय्यमुपतिष्ठेत्त्वत्त्वस्मिंस्तीर्थे तु गोष्पदे । स्वाध्यायं श्रावयेत्तत्र पुराणान्यखिलान्यपि

Transliteration

akṣayyamupatiṣṭhettvattvasmiṃstīrthe tu goṣpade | svādhyāyaṃ śrāvayettatra purāṇānyakhilānyapi

Translation

ليثبتْ لك هنا الثوابُ الذي لا ينفد، في هذا التيرثا المسمّى «غوشپادا». وهناك ينبغي أن تُقام تلاوةُ السڤادهيايا (svādhyāya)، وكذلك تلاوةُ جميع البورانات (Purāṇa) أيضًا.

Word by Word

• अक्षय्यम्: imperishable (merit/reward)
• अक्षय्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उपतिष्ठेत्: would attend/serve; would be present
• उपतिष्ठेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-स्था (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative/विध्यर्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• त्वत्: from you
• त्वत्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (ablative)

• त्वस्मिन्: in you
• त्वस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तीर्थे: at the sacred ford/place
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• गोष्पदे: at Goṣpada (place-name; lit. ‘cow’s footprint’)
• गोष्पदे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गोः पदम्)

• स्वाध्यायम्: Vedic recitation/study
• स्वाध्यायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रावयेत्: should cause to be heard; should recite/teach
• श्रावयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) caus. श्रावय (णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रत्यय (causative)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative adverb/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• पुराणानि: the Purāṇas
• पुराणानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अखिलानि: all, entire
• अखिलानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (inclusion/emphasis)

Speaker

Narrative voice within Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya (speaker not explicit in snippet); addressing a ritual participant and praising Goṣpada-tīrtha

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Goṣpada-tīrtha

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Goṣpada-tīrtha, after offerings, a learned reciter reads from palm-leaf manuscripts; pilgrims sit listening as the ‘akṣayya’ blessing is symbolized by an endless garland or unceasing lamp-flame.

Characters & Entities

• Goṣpada Tīrtha
• Purāṇa
• Svādhyāya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

At a praised tīrtha, merit is described as akṣayya when joined with dharmic acts like svādhyāya and Purāṇa recitation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Goṣpada-tīrtha within the Prabhāsa sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Svādhyāya (sacred recitation) and arranging Purāṇa-śravaṇa/pāṭha (hearing/recitation of Purāṇas) at the tīrtha.