Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वाऽलयं तदा विष्णोस्तदायुधविभूषितम् । विहाय पादुके च्छत्रं दण्डवत्पतिता भुवि

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā'layaṃ tadā viṣṇostadāyudhavibhūṣitam | vihāya pāduke cchatraṃ daṇḍavatpatitā bhuvi

Translation

Als sie dann die Wohnstatt Viṣṇus sahen, geschmückt mit Seinen göttlichen Waffen, legten sie Sandalen und Schirm beiseite und fielen in voller Niederwerfung zu Boden.

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (Gerund/Absolutive)

• आलयम्: abode
• आलयम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-visheshana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (refers to ālayam)

• आयुध: weapons
• आयुध: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• विभूषितम्: adorned
• विभूषितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of ālayam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + भूष् (धातु)
• Form: कर्मणि-क्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (तद्-आयुध-विभूषितम् = adorned with those weapons)

• विहाय: having left aside
• विहाय: Purvakala-kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु) उपसर्गः वि-
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund)

• पादुके: sandals (pair)
• पादुके: Karma (Object of vihāya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पादुका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• छत्रम्: umbrella
• छत्रम्: Karma (Object of vihāya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दण्डवत्: like a staff (prostrate)
• दण्डवत्: Kriya-visheshana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दण्डवत् (अव्यय/तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (manner adverb: 'like a staff')

• पतिता: fell/prostrated
• पतिता: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past participle, active sense), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भुवि: on the ground
• भुवि: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव्/भूमि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Prahlāda (continuing narrative praise)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/Brāhmaṇas (addressed collectively in the section’s frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims arrive at Viṣṇu’s resplendent abode in Dvārakā; seeing the sanctum adorned with divine weapons (śaṅkha, cakra, gadā, padma), they cast aside sandals and umbrella and fall flat in full prostration on the temple approach.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Dvārakā (implied as the abode)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True pilgrimage expresses humility—physical reverence mirrors inner surrender before the Divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The abode of Viṣṇu at Dvārakā (Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s sacred dwelling).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Temple etiquette and devotion: remove footwear and perform daṇḍavat-praṇāma upon beholding the Lord’s abode.