Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

कृष्णं स्वयंभुवं देवं द्वारका त्रिदिवोपमा । श्रुता चाप्यथवा दृष्टा कुरुते जन्मसंक्षयम्

Transliteration

kṛṣṇaṃ svayaṃbhuvaṃ devaṃ dvārakā tridivopamā | śrutā cāpyathavā dṛṣṭā kurute janmasaṃkṣayam

Translation

ত্রিদেবলোকসম দ্বারকায় স্বয়ম্ভূ ভগবান শ্রীকৃষ্ণ বিরাজমান। সেই ধাম কেবল শ্রবণে বা দর্শনেই পুনর্জন্মের ধারার ক্ষয় সাধন করে।

Word by Word

• कृष्णम्: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वयम्-भुवम्: self-born; self-existent
• स्वयम्-भुवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय) + भू (धातु) → भुव (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषणम् (भू धातोः क्विप्/उणादि-प्रत्ययान्त रूप-प्रातिपदिक), अव्ययीभावः (स्वयम् + भुव)

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्वारका: Dvārakā
• द्वारका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्रिदिव-उपमा: comparable to heaven
• त्रिदिव-उपमा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिदिव (प्रातिपदिक) + उपमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्रिदिवस्य उपमा)

• श्रुता: heard
• श्रुता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also/even)

• अथवा: or
• अथवा: Sambandha/Alternative
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle)

• दृष्टा: seen
• दृष्टा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्यय)

• कुरुते: brings about/causes
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• जन्म-संक्षयम्: cessation of births
• जन्म-संक्षयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + संक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जन्मनः संक्षयः)

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial Dvārakā rising from the sea, jeweled gates and ramparts; Kṛṣṇa as svayaṃbhu-lord seated in serene majesty while pilgrims approach—some only listening to recitation, others beholding the city.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Dvārakā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Association with a divinely charged tīrtha—through knowledge or pilgrimage—can weaken saṃsāra and orient one toward liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, portrayed as heaven-like due to Kṛṣṇa’s presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śravaṇa (hearing about Dvārakā) and darśana (seeing/visiting Dvārakā) are presented as salvific acts.