Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

विहाय गौतमीं तत्र प्रययुर्ह्यग्रतोग्रतः । प्रहृष्टा गौतमी तत्र प्रणम्य त्वरिता ययौ

Transliteration

vihāya gautamīṃ tatra prayayurhyagratogrataḥ | prahṛṣṭā gautamī tatra praṇamya tvaritā yayau

Translation

Leaving the Gautamī there, they went onward in eager haste. And the Gautamī too, rejoicing, bowed there and swiftly went after them.

Word by Word

• विहाय: having left
• विहाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु) + वि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), 'having left/abandoned'

• गौतमीम्: Gautamī (river/region)
• गौतमीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place: there)

• प्रययुः: went forth
• प्रययुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• अग्रतः: in front
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in front/ahead)

• अग्रतः: ahead (again; emphatic repetition)
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in front/ahead)

• प्रहृष्टा: delighted
• प्रहृष्टा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + हृष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP used adjectivally), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• गौतमी: Gautamī
• गौतमी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place: there)

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), 'having bowed'

• त्वरिता: hastened / in haste
• त्वरिता: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Prahlāda (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gautamī (Godāvarī)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims move ahead in haste; behind them the river-goddess Gautamī, radiant and smiling, offers a bow at the spot of departure and then swiftly follows, her waters flowing like a living being.

Characters & Entities

• Gautamī (Godāvarī)
• Pilgrims (dvijāḥ, implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is portrayed as a living, devotional journey—moving from one holy presence to another with reverence and eagerness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gautamī (Godāvarī) is referenced as a sacred river-tīrtha within the broader journey toward Dvārakā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praṇāma (bowing) is implied as an act of reverence before departing a sacred river-tīrtha.