Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

प्रह्लाद उवाच । ततो गच्छेद्द्विजश्रेष्ठाः सप्तकुण्डान्सुविश्रुतान् । सर्वपापप्रशमनानृद्धिबुद्धिविवर्द्धनान्

Transliteration

prahlāda uvāca | tato gaccheddvijaśreṣṭhāḥ saptakuṇḍānsuviśrutān | sarvapāpapraśamanānṛddhibuddhivivarddhanān

Translation

প্রহ্লাদ বললেন—তারপর, হে দ্বিজশ্রেষ্ঠগণ! সেই সাতটি সুপ্রসিদ্ধ কুণ্ডে গমন করা উচিত; তারা সর্বপাপ প্রশমিত করে এবং ঐশ্বর্য ও সদ্বুদ্ধি বৃদ্ধি করে।

Word by Word

• प्रह्लादः: Prahlāda
• प्रह्लादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वक्ता

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तर (thereafter)

• गच्छेत्: should go
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; विधि (should go)

• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (श्रेष्ठा द्विजाः)

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; ‘कुण्डान्’ विशेषयति

• कुण्डान्: pools/sacred basins
• कुण्डान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; कर्म

• सुविश्रुतान्: very famous
• सुविश्रुतान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + विश्रुत (प्रातिपदिक; श्रु धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘कुण्डान्’ विशेषयति

• सर्वपापप्रशमनान्: removers of all sins
• सर्वपापप्रशमनान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रशमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषां पापानां प्रशमनाः)

• ऋद्धिबुद्धिविवर्द्धनान्: enhancers of prosperity and intellect
• ऋद्धिबुद्धिविवर्द्धनान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + विवर्द्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समाहार-तत्पुरुष (ऋद्धेः बुद्धेश्च विवर्द्धनाः)

Speaker

Prahlāda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sapta-kuṇḍa (seven sacred ponds)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-śreṣṭhas (best of brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Prahlāda instructs brāhmaṇas, pointing toward a mapped circuit of seven lotus-like ponds; each kuṇḍa shown with steps, small shrines, and pilgrims bathing, with a subtle motif of light rising over the head to indicate buddhi-vṛddhi.

Characters & Entities

• Prahlāda
• Sapta Kuṇḍas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage to consecrated water-sites is recommended as a dharmic method for purification and cultivation of prosperity and discernment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ‘seven famous kuṇḍas’ within the Dvārakā Māhātmya sacred circuit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

To proceed (gacchet) to the sapta-kuṇḍas—implying tīrtha-sevā such as darśana and snāna typically associated with kuṇḍas.