Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 198

Devanagari script

अग्निप्रवेशं ये कुर्युर्गोप्रतारे विधानतः । ते विशंति पदं विष्णोर्निःसंदग्धं तपोधन

Transliteration

agnipraveśaṃ ye kuryurgopratāre vidhānataḥ | te viśaṃti padaṃ viṣṇorniḥsaṃdagdhaṃ tapodhana

Translation

O Schatz der Askese, wer in Gopratāra gemäß rechter Vorschrift den Eintritt ins Feuer vollzieht, geht in den Stand Viṣṇus ein, unversehrt und unversengt.

Word by Word

• अग्निप्रवेशम्: entry into fire
• अग्निप्रवेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘अग्नि-प्रवेश’ = अग्नौ प्रवेशः (entering fire), कुर्युः इत्यस्य कर्म

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक

• कुर्युः: should do
• कुर्युः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• गोप्रतारे: at Gopratāra
• गोप्रतारे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप्रतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक (तीर्थनाम), सप्तमी, एकवचन

• विधानतः: according to the prescribed rule
• विधानतः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘विधानतः’ = विधानेन/विधानानुसारतः (according to rule)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• विशन्ति: enter
• विशन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √विश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• पदम्: state/abode
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• निःसंदग्धम्: unscorched/purified
• निःसंदग्धम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + संदग्ध (कृदन्त; सम् + √दह् धातु, क्त)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पदम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; ‘निः-’ = पूर्णतया/निर्गतदोषम् (completely free from burning/taint)

• तपोधन: O ascetic (wealth of austerity)
• तपोधन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; ‘तपः’ धनं यस्य सः (one whose wealth is austerity)

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced: Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa narrative style—Brahmā to Nārada)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gopratāra

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Tapodhana (addressed: ‘O treasure of austerity’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the Gopratāra ford, a ritual fire is prepared according to ordinance; priests chant; the devotee, serene and resolute, approaches the flames with Viṣṇu in vision above—symbolizing entry into Viṣṇu’s abode, ‘untouched by burning’.

Characters & Entities

• Gopratāra Tīrtha
• Agni-praveśa
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text magnifies the tīrtha’s power: when rites are done under proper rule, liberation in Viṣṇu’s realm is promised.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gopratāra Tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Agni-praveśa performed vidhānataḥ (only as sanctioned by proper ordinance).