Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

तत्फलं लभते मर्त्त्यो द्वारकायां दिनेदिने । गृहेषु वसतामेतत्किं पुनः कृष्णसंनिधौ

Transliteration

tatphalaṃ labhate marttyo dvārakāyāṃ dinedine | gṛheṣu vasatāmetatkiṃ punaḥ kṛṣṇasaṃnidhau

Translation

That very merit is gained by a mortal in Dwārakā day after day. If it is so even for those who merely dwell in their homes, how much more in the very presence of Kṛṣṇa!

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (demonstrative)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• लभते: obtains
• लभते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• मर्त्यः: a mortal
• मर्त्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• द्वारकायाम्: in Dvārakā
• द्वारकायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• दिने: day
• दिने: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• दिने: by day (day after day)
• दिने: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); पुनरुक्ति (iteration)

• गृहेषु: in houses
• गृहेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वसताम्: of those who dwell
• वसताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वस् (धातु) + शतृ (Kṛdanta/Present participle)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘वसत्’ (those dwelling)

• एतत्: this (much/this result)
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• किम्: what (then)/how much
• किम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोग (interrogative particle used idiomatically: ‘how much more?’)

• पुनः: again; rather (how much more)
• पुनः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति/अधिक्यार्थक (adverb: again; in idiom ‘how much more’)

• कृष्णसन्निधौ: in the presence of Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णसन्निधौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण + सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कृष्णस्य सन्निधिः)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced from Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa narrative context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (Dvāravatī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm morning in Dvārakā: householders perform simple pūjā at home, while the grand Kṛṣṇa temple rises nearby; pilgrims stream toward darśana, suggesting that even domestic life in the kṣetra accrues merit.

Characters & Entities

• Dwārakā
• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Holy presence (saṃnidhi) magnifies merit; Dwārakā is portrayed as a place where dharma and bhakti become effortless.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dwārakā, especially as the abode associated with Kṛṣṇa’s presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No single rite is prescribed here; the emphasis is on the spiritual potency of living in Dwārakā and approaching Kṛṣṇa.