Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

द्वारकापथिगच्छद्भिरन्योन्यं भक्तिवर्द्धनम् । जप्तव्यं वैदिकं जाप्यं स्तोत्रमागमिकं तथा

Transliteration

dvārakāpathigacchadbhiranyonyaṃ bhaktivarddhanam | japtavyaṃ vaidikaṃ jāpyaṃ stotramāgamikaṃ tathā

Translation

দ্বাৰকাৰ পথেদি যোৱা যাত্ৰীসকলে পৰস্পৰে পৰস্পৰৰ ভক্তি বৃদ্ধি কৰক; বৈদিক জপ কৰক আৰু লগতে আগমিক স্তোত্ৰো পাঠ কৰক।

Word by Word

• द्वारका-पथि-गच्छद्भिः: by those going on the road to Dvārakā
• द्वारका-पथि-गच्छद्भिः: Karana (Instrument/कर्ता-समूह-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारका (प्रातिपदिक) + पथि (पथिन्-शब्द) + √गम् (धातु) → गच्छत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (द्वारकायाः पथि गच्छन्तः) + वर्तमान-कृदन्त (गच्छत्)

• अन्योन्यम्: mutually
• अन्योन्यम्: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (adverbial: mutually)

• भक्ति-वर्द्धनम्: increase of devotion
• भक्ति-वर्द्धनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति + वर्द्धन (प्रातिपदिक; √वृध् धातु से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (भक्तेः वर्द्धनम्)

• जप्तव्यम्: to be recited
• जप्तव्यम्: Karya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √जप् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्) → जप्तव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (to be recited)

• वैदिकम्: Vedic
• वैदिकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैदिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• जाप्यम्: meant for japa
• जाप्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √जप् (धातु) + यत् (कृत्) → जाप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (fit for japa)

• स्तोत्रम्: hymn
• स्तोत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तोत्र (प्रातिपदिक; √स्तु धातु से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आगमिकम्: Āgamic (tantric/scriptural)
• आगमिकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आगमिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकारार्थ (also/likewise)

Speaker

Nārada (instructing sages/pilgrims; speaker attribution from immediate narrative context of Adhyāya 30)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (approach route as yātrā-māhātmya)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: munayaḥ / dvija-uttamāḥ (sages, best of twice-born)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A caravan of pilgrims on the coastal Saurashtra road, walking in small groups, one leading Vedic japa on beads while others respond with Āgamic stotras; flags, conch, and tulasī garlands; distant hint of Dvārakā’s spires and the sea breeze.

Characters & Entities

• Dvārakā
• Veda
• Āgama
• Japa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is strengthened through companionship that increases devotion and through disciplined chanting and hymn-recitation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, especially the sanctified journey/path leading to it.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vaidika japa (Vedic mantra repetition) and Āgamic stotra (hymns from Āgamic tradition), practiced while traveling.