Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

द्वारकागमनं येन कृतं कृष्णस्य कीर्तनम् । स्नातं तीर्थसहस्रैस्तु तेनेष्टं क्रतुकोटिभिः

Transliteration

dvārakāgamanaṃ yena kṛtaṃ kṛṣṇasya kīrtanam | snātaṃ tīrthasahasraistu teneṣṭaṃ kratukoṭibhiḥ

Translation

By one who has journeyed to Dvārakā and performed the praise of Kṛṣṇa, it is as though he has bathed in thousands of sacred fords, and as though he has performed crores of sacrifices.

Word by Word

• द्वारकागमनम्: going to Dvārakā
• द्वारकागमनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारका (प्रातिपदिक) + गमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; समास: द्वारकायां गमनम् (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• येन: by which/through whom
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे/करणे

• कृतम्: done/accomplished
• कृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (गमनम् इत्यस्य विधेय)

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

• कीर्तनम्: praise/chanting
• कीर्तनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• स्नातम्: bathed
• स्नातम्: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (अर्थे: स्नानं कृतम्)

• तीर्थसहस्रैः: by thousands of pilgrim-places
• तीर्थसहस्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समास: तीर्थाणां सहस्रैः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधसूचक (particle: but/indeed)

• तेन: by that (person/act)
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• इष्टम्: sacrificed/worshipped
• इष्टम्: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle) from √यज् (यष्टुम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (अर्थे: यज्ञः कृतः)

• क्रतुकोटिभिः: by crores of sacrifices
• क्रतुकोटिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समास: क्रतूनां कोटिभिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Dvārakā Māhātmya context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (bhūpa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim arrives at Dvārakā’s sea-facing temple, hands folded, then joins a kīrtana; around him appear symbolic visions of countless tīrthas and yajña fires, all converging into the single act of Kṛṣṇa praise.

Characters & Entities

• Dvārakā
• Kṛṣṇa
• Tīrthas
• Vedic sacrifices (kratu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage joined with kīrtana is portrayed as a concentrated form of dharma, granting vast merit traditionally associated with many tīrthas and sacrifices.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā is glorified as a supreme pilgrimage destination, especially when paired with Kṛṣṇa-kīrtana.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dvārakā-yātrā (journey to Dvārakā) and Kṛṣṇa-kīrtana are recommended as merit-bestowing practices.