Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

यदा द्वारावती विप्रा प्लाविता सागरेण हि । पुण्यानि बहुतीर्थानि च्छन्नानि जलपांसुभिः

Transliteration

yadā dvārāvatī viprā plāvitā sāgareṇa hi | puṇyāni bahutīrthāni cchannāni jalapāṃsubhiḥ

Translation

Lorsque Dvārāvatī, ô brāhmaṇas, est submergée par l’océan, de nombreux tīrthas sacrés se trouvent voilés sous l’eau et le sable.

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—कालवाचक-सम्बन्ध (when)

• द्वारावती: Dvārāvatī (Dvārakā)
• द्वारावती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारावती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नगरनाम

• विप्राः: brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थेऽपि पाठान्तरसम्भवः, अत्र प्रथमा बहुवचनम्

• प्लाविता: flooded
• प्लाविता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्लावित (कृदन्त; प्लु/प्लाव् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वारावती-विशेषणम्

• सागरेण: by the sea
• सागरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/indeed)

• पुण्यानि: holy
• पुण्यानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुतीर्थानि-विशेषणम्

• बहुतीर्थानि: many sacred fords
• बहुतीर्थानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (बहूनि तीर्थानि)

• च्छन्नानि: covered
• च्छन्नानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छन्न (कृदन्त; छद् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुतीर्थानि-विशेषणम्

• जलपांसुभिः: by watery sand/silt
• जलपांसुभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल + पांसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (जलस्य पांसवः)

Speaker

Prahlāda (continued)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārāvatī-associated concealed tīrthas (collective)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: viprāḥ (explicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The ocean surges over Dvārāvatī; temple spires and ghats vanish beneath waves; sand drifts cover once-visible tīrthas while brāhmaṇas look on in solemn awe.

Characters & Entities

• Dvārāvatī (Dvārakā)
• Ocean (Sāgara)
• Tīrthas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacredness is not limited to what is visibly accessible; tīrthas may remain holy even when hidden by time and nature.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārāvatī/Dvārakā as a sacred region containing many tīrthas, some of which can become concealed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed here; it introduces the condition of tīrthas being hidden due to flooding.