Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

पातालस्य तदा दृष्ट्वा द्वारं विवररूपकम् । प्रविष्टोऽथ जगामाशु यत्रानंतः स्वयं स्थितः

Transliteration

pātālasya tadā dṛṣṭvā dvāraṃ vivararūpakam | praviṣṭo'tha jagāmāśu yatrānaṃtaḥ svayaṃ sthitaḥ

Translation

Then, seeing the entrance to Pātāla as a fissure-like opening, he entered it and swiftly went to the place where Ananta (Śeṣa) himself abides.

Word by Word

• पातालस्य: of the netherworld (Pātāla)
• पातालस्य: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), ‘having seen’

• द्वारम्: a gate
• द्वारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• विवररूपकम्: having the form of an opening/cavity
• विवररूपकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विवर-रूपक (प्रातिपदिक; विवर + रूपक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘द्वारम्’); ‘विवरस्य रूपम्’

• प्रविष्टः: entered
• प्रविष्टः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘entered’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner/speed)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• अनन्तः: Ananta (Śeṣa)
• अनन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-visheshana (Emphasis/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: आत्मवाचक-अव्यय (reflexive/emphatic: oneself)

• स्थितः: stood, was situated
• स्थितः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘stood/was situated’

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pātāla-dvāra (mythic gateway) near Nāga-sthāna/Trisaṅgama

Type: cave

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A rocky ground splits into a dark, narrow fissure; the pilgrim in nāga-form enters, guided by a subtle radiance; below, a vast jeweled subterranean realm hints at Ananta’s presence.

Characters & Entities

• Pātāla
• Ananta (Śeṣa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places are portrayed as living gateways to deeper cosmic realms, inviting reverence and pilgrimage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative prepares the glorification of Nāgasthāna within Prabhāsakṣetra, associated with Ananta (Śeṣa).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated in this verse; it establishes the sacred location and its divine presence.