Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

गोलकं पतितं दृष्ट्वा क्रन्दंतं ब्राह्मणं तथा । कूर्मपृष्ठं च भगवान्विष्णुर्हन्तुं मनो दधे । नाराचेन सुतीक्ष्णेन जघान हृदये रिपुम्

Transliteration

golakaṃ patitaṃ dṛṣṭvā krandaṃtaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ tathā | kūrmapṛṣṭhaṃ ca bhagavānviṣṇurhantuṃ mano dadhe | nārācena sutīkṣṇena jaghāna hṛdaye ripum

Translation

Seeing Golaka fallen, and the Brāhmaṇa still lamenting, the Lord Viṣṇu resolved to slay Kūrmapṛṣṭha as well. With a razor-sharp steel-shafted arrow, he struck the enemy in the heart.

Word by Word

• golakam: Golaka (name/person)
• golakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: golaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• patitam: fallen
• patitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pat (पत्) धातु; patita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (golakam)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dṛś (दृश्) धातु
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• krandantam: crying, wailing
• krandantam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krand (क्रन्द्) धातु; krandant (शतृ-कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (brāhmaṇam)

• brāhmaṇam: a Brahmin
• brāhmaṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tathā: also, likewise
• tathā: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/उपपद-प्रयोगे ‘also/likewise’

• kūrmapṛṣṭham: the turtle’s back
• kūrmapṛṣṭham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kūrma (प्रातिपदिक) + pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कूर्मस्य पृष्ठम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• viṣṇuḥ: Vishnu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भेदक-अप्पोजिशन (bhagavān)

• hantum: to kill
• hantum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: han (हन्) धातु
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), प्रयोजनार्थे

• manaḥ: mind, intention
• manaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• dadhe: placed, set (his mind)
• dadhe: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhā (धा) धातु
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• nārācena: with an iron arrow
• nārācena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• sutīkṣṇena: very sharp
• sutīkṣṇena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + tīkṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (nārācena)

• jaghāna: struck, slew
• jaghāna: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (हन्) धातु
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• hṛdaye: in the heart
• hṛdaye: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• ripum: the enemy
• ripum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ripu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Dvārakā-māhātmya context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa observes Golaka fallen and a brāhmaṇa lamenting; with calm resolve he draws a razor-sharp arrow and strikes Kūrmapṛṣṭha in the heart.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Golaka
• Brāhmaṇa
• Kūrmapṛṣṭha
• Nārāca (arrow)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In a dharma-centered sacred geography, divine power acts to remove threats against the pious and restore order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, framed as a sanctified domain under Viṣṇu’s guardianship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse emphasizes protection of a Brāhmaṇa rather than a specific ritual.