Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

पयोष्णी तपती कृष्णा कावेर्य्याद्याः सुपुण्यदाः । पुष्करादीनि तीर्थानि सागराः पर्वतोत्तमाः

Transliteration

payoṣṇī tapatī kṛṣṇā kāveryyādyāḥ supuṇyadāḥ | puṣkarādīni tīrthāni sāgarāḥ parvatottamāḥ

Translation

The Payoṣṇī, the Tapatī, the Kṛṣṇā, and the Kāverī and others—bestowers of supremely holy merit; the tīrthas beginning with Puṣkara; the oceans; and the loftiest mountains—(all) were present.

Word by Word

• पयोष्णी: Payoṣṇī (river)
• पयोष्णी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयोष्णी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तपती: Tapatī (river)
• तपती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कृष्णा: Kṛṣṇā (river)
• कृष्णा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्णा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कावेरी-आद्याः: Kāverī and others (beginning with Kāverī)
• कावेरी-आद्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कावेरी + आदि (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘आदि’-शब्देन समाहारः (and others beginning with Kāverī)

• सुपुण्यदाः: bestowers of great merit
• सुपुण्यदाः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुपुण्यद (प्रातिपदिक; सु + पुण्य + द)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• पुष्कर-आदीनि: Puṣkara and the like
• पुष्कर-आदीनि: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्कर + आदि (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (beginning with Puṣkara)

• तीर्थानि: pilgrimage places
• तीर्थानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सागराः: oceans
• सागराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पर्वतोत्तमाः: excellent mountains
• पर्वतोत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (श्रेष्ठाः पर्वताः)

Speaker

Prahlāda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Puṣkara (invoked); Dvārakā as convergence-field

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas/ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand cosmic panorama: multiple river-goddesses (Payoṣṇī, Tapatī, Kṛṣṇā, Kāverī) flow as luminous streams; Puṣkara appears as a lotus lake; oceans encircle; mountains rise like guardians—everything oriented toward Dvārakā’s sacred center.

Characters & Entities

• Payoṣṇī
• Tapatī
• Kṛṣṇā (river)
• Kāverī
• Puṣkara
• Sāgara (oceans)
• Parvata (mountains)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The entire sacred landscape—rivers, tīrthas, seas, and mountains—is woven into the Purāṇic vision of dharma and pilgrimage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Puṣkara and numerous river-tīrthas are referenced, within a chapter that ultimately magnifies Dvārakā’s pre-eminence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse functions as a panoramic listing to intensify the māhātmya.