Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 104

Devanagari script

नीलोत्पलदलश्यामं कृष्णं देवकिनन्दनम् । दण्डवत्प्रणमेत्प्रीत्या प्रणमेदग्रजं पुनः

Transliteration

nīlotpaladalaśyāmaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ devakinandanam | daṇḍavatpraṇametprītyā praṇamedagrajaṃ punaḥ

Translation

In liebevoller Freude soll man sich in voller Daṇḍavat-Prostration vor Kṛṣṇa niederwerfen — dunkel wie das Blatt des blauen Lotos, der geliebte Sohn Devakīs — und danach erneut vor seinem älteren Bruder verneigen.

Word by Word

• नीलोत्पलदलश्यामम्: dark like the petal of a blue lotus
• नीलोत्पलदलश्यामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील + उत्पल + दल + श्याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कृष्णम् इति विशेष्यस्य) — Neuter, Accusative singular, adjective

• कृष्णम्: Krishna
• कृष्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative singular

• देवकिनन्दनम्: son of Devakī
• देवकिनन्दनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवकी + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपाधि/विशेषणरूपेण — Masculine, Accusative singular, epithet

• दण्डवत्: like a staff; prostrate
• दण्डवत्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दण्डवत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-निबद्ध)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम् (प्रकारवाचक) — Indeclinable adverb (manner)

• प्रणमेत्: should bow down
• प्रणमेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम् — Optative, 3rd person singular, parasmaipada

• प्रीत्या: with love
• प्रीत्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेतौ/साधनभावे — Feminine, Instrumental singular (with affection)

• प्रणमेत्: should bow
• प्रणमेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम् — Optative, 3rd person singular, parasmaipada

• अग्रजम्: the elder brother (Balarāma)
• अग्रजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्रज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative singular

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम् (पुनरावृत्तिवाचक) — Indeclinable adverb (again)

Speaker

Unspecified (Dvārakā Māhātmya narrative voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā darśana (Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a lamp-lit sanctum, Kṛṣṇa stands radiant, skin like a blue lotus petal, adorned with garlands; a devotee lies fully prostrate (daṇḍavat) in heartfelt joy. To the side stands Balarāma, fair and strong, holding plough and mace; the devotee rises to bow again to the elder brother.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Devakī
• Balarāma (Agraja)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approach the divine with heartfelt humility—full prostration to Kṛṣṇa and reverence to Balarāma cultivates devotion and auspiciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, where Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma are revered as the presiding divinities within the māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform daṇḍavat-praṇāma to Kṛṣṇa, then offer praṇāma to his agraja (Balarāma).