Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

नित्यं पादोदकं मूर्ध्ना मया धार्यं सुभक्तितः । नैवेद्यभक्षणं चैव करिष्यामि सुभक्तितः

Transliteration

nityaṃ pādodakaṃ mūrdhnā mayā dhāryaṃ subhaktitaḥ | naivedyabhakṣaṇaṃ caiva kariṣyāmi subhaktitaḥ

Translation

With sincere devotion I shall daily place upon my head the water that has washed Your feet (pādodaka), and with that same devotion I shall partake of the consecrated offering (naivedya).

Word by Word

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriyavisheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभूत-विशेषणम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (indecl.; adverb)

• पादोदकम्: water of the feet (foot-wash)
• पादोदकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘पादस्य उदकम्’) (neut. nom./acc. sg.)

• मूर्ध्ना: with (my) head
• मूर्ध्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (masc. instr. sg.)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartrikarana (Agent-instrumental/कर्तृ-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (instr. sg.)

• धार्यम्: to be held/worn
• धार्यम्: Vidheya (Predicate complement/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धार्य (कृदन्त; √धृ धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्तव्यतार्थक-भावः (neut. nom./acc. sg.; to be borne/held)

• सुभक्तितः: with sincere devotion
• सुभक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/Manner/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb); हेतौ/प्रकारे (indecl.; ‘out of/with good devotion’)

• नैवेद्यभक्षणम्: eating of the offering (naivedya)
• नैवेद्यभक्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैवेद्य + भक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘नैवेद्यस्य भक्षणम्’) (neut. nom./acc. sg.)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (indecl.; conjunction)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (indecl.; emphatic particle)

• करिष्यामि: I shall do
• करिष्यामि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (fut. 1sg.)

• सुभक्तितः: with sincere devotion
• सुभक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/Manner/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; प्रकारे/हेतौ (indecl.)

Speaker

Candraśarman (addressing Śrī Kṛṣṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devoted brāhmaṇa stands before Kṛṣṇa’s shrine in Dvārakā, lifting a small vessel of caraṇāmṛta/pāda-tīrtha to his head; attendants present a plate of naivedya; the sanctum glows with lamps and conch-shell motifs of the sea-city.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Pādodaka
• Naivedya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility and grace: revering the Lord’s pādodaka and honoring prasāda purify the devotee.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, as a living center of Kṛṣṇa’s worship where such temple practices are meritorious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Taking pādodaka upon one’s head and eating the Lord’s naivedya as prasāda.