Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

आनुपूर्व्यात्समासेन पूजनीया यथाविधि । कथयस्व विधिज्ञोऽसि कृष्णैकचरणप्रियः

Transliteration

ānupūrvyātsamāsena pūjanīyā yathāvidhi | kathayasva vidhijño'si kṛṣṇaikacaraṇapriyaḥ

Translation

«Dis-nous, dans l’ordre convenable et brièvement, comment ils doivent être honorés selon la règle. Parle : tu connais les rites et tu chéris les pieds de Kṛṣṇa seul.»

Word by Word

• आनुपूर्व्यात्: in due order / from sequence
• आनुपूर्व्यात्: Apadana/Hetu (Source/Reason/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनुपूर्व्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), पञ्चमी (5th case/अपादान), एकवचनम्; हेत्वर्थे/क्रमार्थे (from sequence/order)

• समासेन: briefly, in summary
• समासेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया (3rd case/करण), एकवचनम्

• पूजनीया: to be worshipped / should be worshipped
• पूजनीया: Karta (Predicate adjective to implied ‘(पूजा/विधिः)’/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः (gerundive: to be worshipped)

• यथाविधि: according to the prescribed rule
• यथाविधि: Kriya-vishesana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + विधि (अव्ययीभाव-समास)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अव्ययीभावः (as per rule)

• कथयस्व: tell (us)
• कथयस्व: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु; कथ् + णिच्)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः (2nd person), एकवचनम्

• विधिज्ञः: knower of the rite
• विधिज्ञः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विधि + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषः (विधिं जानाति)

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः (2nd person), एकवचनम्

• कृष्णैकचरणप्रियः: devoted to Kṛṣṇa’s feet alone
• कृष्णैकचरणप्रियः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण + एक + चरण + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषः (कृष्णस्य एकचरणे प्रियः / कृष्णस्य चरण एव प्रियः)

Speaker

Unspecified (questioner addressing Prahlāda or a ritual-knower in the narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Prahlāda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages respectfully urge Prahlāda to narrate the worship in correct order, acknowledging his ritual knowledge and exclusive devotion to Kṛṣṇa’s feet.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion (bhakti) is strengthened by disciplined practice—worship done in proper sequence and rule becomes a vehicle of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, approached through its prescribed ritual etiquette, especially honoring its protective deities.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship should be performed “in sequence” (ānupūrvyāt) and “according to rule” (yathāvidhi).