Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

ग्रहनक्षत्रताराणां यथा सूर्य्यो विराजते । सक्षेत्रतीर्थराजानां द्वारकार्को विराजते

Transliteration

grahanakṣatratārāṇāṃ yathā sūryyo virājate | sakṣetratīrtharājānāṃ dvārakārko virājate

Translation

Wie die Sonne die Planeten, Sternbilder und Sterne an Glanz übertrifft, so überstrahlt die „Sonne von Dvārakā“ die Könige unter den heiligen kṣetras und tīrthas.

Word by Word

• ग्रहनक्षत्रताराणाम्: of planets, constellations, and stars
• ग्रहनक्षत्रताराणाम्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह + नक्षत्र + तारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (तारा-प्रधान), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व-समास (ग्रहाश्च नक्षत्राणि च ताराश्च)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानार्थक-अव्यय (comparative particle: as/just as)

• सूर्यः: the Sun
• सूर्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• विराजते: shines splendidly
• विराजते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: राज् (धातु) + वि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• सक्षेत्रतीर्थराजानाम्: of the kings among sacred places and tīrthas
• सक्षेत्रतीर्थराजानाम्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स + क्षेत्र + तीर्थ + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष-समास (क्षेत्राणि तीर्थानि च तेषां राजानः; स- उपपदपूर्वकः = 'सहित/समेत')

• द्वारकार्कः: Dvārakā (like) the Sun / the Sun of Dvārakā
• द्वारकार्कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारका + अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्वारकायाः अर्कः = 'Dvārakā-Sun', उपमा)

• विराजते: shines splendidly
• विराजते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: राज् (धातु) + वि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Nārada (deduced from the concluding metaphor of the comparative praise)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic simile: the radiant sun dominates a sky filled with planets, nakṣatras, and stars; below, Dvārakā shines as a golden coastal city-temple complex, outshining a procession of other tīrthas personified as kings.

Characters & Entities

• Dvārakā
• Sūrya (Sun)
• Graha
• Nakṣatra
• Tārā (stars)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Among many worthy sacred places, one may be celebrated as preeminent; the devotee’s faith is directed toward the highest perceived concentration of divine grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā is glorified as the foremost—likened to the sun among celestial lights and among all kṣetras and tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse functions as a mahātmya-style eulogy using a cosmic simile.