Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

पुण्यसंख्या च तीर्थानां ब्रह्मणा विहिता पुरा । दानाध्ययन संज्ञानां मुक्त्वा द्वारवतीं कलौ

Transliteration

puṇyasaṃkhyā ca tīrthānāṃ brahmaṇā vihitā purā | dānādhyayana saṃjñānāṃ muktvā dvāravatīṃ kalau

Translation

Einst setzte Brahmā das Maß des Verdienstes der Tīrthas fest; doch im Kali-Zeitalter, wenn man Dvāravatī beiseitelässt, sind die Verdienste aus Gabe, heiligem Studium und anderen bekannten Dharmapflichten im Vergleich gemindert.

Word by Word

• पुण्य-संख्या: the count/measure of merit
• पुण्य-संख्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (feminine, nominative singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तीर्थानाम्: of the sacred places
• तीर्थानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (neuter, genitive plural)

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, instrumental singular)

• विहिता: ordained/laid down
• विहिता: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adj./विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + धा (धातु) → विहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि (PPP, feminine nom. sg.; ‘ordained/arranged’)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• दान-अध्ययन: giving and study
• दान-अध्ययन: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक) + अध्ययन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-समास; (समाहार-द्वन्द्व)

• संज्ञानाम्: of the designations/means
• संज्ञानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (feminine, genitive plural)

• मुक्त्वा: having left/excepting
• मुक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Gerund/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (having left/excepting)

• द्वारवतीम्: Dvāravatī (Dvārakā)
• द्वारवतीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (feminine, accusative singular)

• कलौ: in the Kali age
• कलौ: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, locative singular)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvāravatī (Dvārakā)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā seated with a cosmic ledger measuring ‘puṇya’ of various tīrthas; scales show dāna and adhyayana weights, yet a radiant emblem of Dvāravatī outweighs them in Kali-yuga. Pilgrims below choose the Dvārakā path.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Dvāravatī (Dvārakā)
• Tīrthas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dvārakā is elevated as uniquely potent in Kali-yuga, even when compared with standard dharmic acts like charity and Vedic study.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvāravatī (Dvārakā) is presented as the exceptional tīrtha in Kali-yuga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna (charity) and adhyayana (scriptural study) are referenced, but the verse emphasizes Dvārakā’s superior tīrtha-merit.