Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

स्नानकाले स कृष्णस्य पठेन्नामसहस्रकम् । प्रत्यक्षरं लभेत्प्रेष्टं कपिलागोशतोद्भवम्

Transliteration

snānakāle sa kṛṣṇasya paṭhennāmasahasrakam | pratyakṣaraṃ labhetpreṣṭaṃ kapilāgośatodbhavam

Translation

If, at the time of bathing worship, one recites Kṛṣṇa’s thousand names, then for each syllable one gains a cherished reward—merit equal to the gift of a hundred tawny cows.

Word by Word

• स्नानकाले: at bathing time
• स्नानकाले: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान + काल (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कृष्णस्य: of Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पठेत्: should recite
• पठेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• नामसहस्रकम्: a thousand names (names-hymn)
• नामसहस्रकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् + सहस्रक (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (नाम्नां सहस्रकम्)

• प्रत्यकṣरम्: for each syllable
• प्रत्यकṣरम्: Avyaya-bhāva (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• प्रेष्टम्: most dear/excellent
• प्रेष्टम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; 'लभेत्' इत्यस्य कर्मविशेषणम्

• कपिलागोशतोद्भवम्: arising from (the gift of) a hundred tawny cows
• कपिलागोशतोद्भवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपिला + गो + शत + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कपिलानां गवां शतात् उद्भवम् = 'arising from a hundred tawny cows')

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice within Dvārakā Māhātmya; likely Sūta in Purāṇic frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahīpāla (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotee seated near the sanctum during abhiṣeka, counting beads while priests bathe Kṛṣṇa; syllables seem to radiate as subtle script-like motifs around the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Nāmasahasra (thousand names)
• Kapilā cows

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Chanting the Lord’s names—especially at sacred ritual moments—multiplies merit and purifies speech and mind.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, in the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa’s Dvārakā Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Recitation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s nāma-sahasra during the deity’s bathing time (snāna-kāla).