Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

अयोध्याधिपतिं रामं मथुरायां तु केशवम् । द्वारकावासिनं कृष्णं कीर्तनं चापि दुर्ल्लभम्

Transliteration

ayodhyādhipatiṃ rāmaṃ mathurāyāṃ tu keśavam | dvārakāvāsinaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ kīrtanaṃ cāpi durllabham

Translation

Rāma, seigneur d’Ayodhyā ; Keśava à Mathurā ; et Kṛṣṇa, qui demeure à Dvārakā — même le kīrtana, le chant de leur gloire, est difficile à obtenir pour qui manque de mérite.

Word by Word

• अयोध्या-अधिपतिम्: the lord of Ayodhyā
• अयोध्या-अधिपतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयोध्या (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अयोध्यायाः अधिपतिः)

• रामम्: Rāma
• रामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मथुरायाम्: in Mathurā
• मथुरायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मथुरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

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

• केशवम्: Keśava
• केशवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्वारका-वासिनम्: the dweller of Dvārakā
• द्वारका-वासिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारका (प्रातिपदिक) + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (द्वारकायां वासी)

• कृष्णम्: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कीर्तनम्: praise/recitation (kīrtana)
• कीर्तनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also/even)

• दुर्लभम्: hard to obtain/rare
• दुर्लभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कीर्तनम् इति विशेष्यस्य)

Speaker

Unknown (within Dvārakā Māhātmya narration; likely a Purāṇic narrator addressing a listener)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā / Mathurā / Dvārakā (collective)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotional triad: Rāma with bow in Ayodhyā, Keśava in Mathurā by Yamunā, and Kṛṣṇa in ocean-girt Dvārakā; above them, a scroll reads ‘durlabhaṃ kīrtanam’ as devotees reach upward for the gift of praise.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Ayodhyā
• Keśava
• Mathurā
• Kṛṣṇa
• Dvārakā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion is itself a rare grace; even the opportunity to praise these divine manifestations is considered difficult to attain.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā, Mathurā, and Dvārakā are collectively invoked as principal sacred abodes.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Kīrtana—chanting or praising the Lord’s names and deeds—is highlighted as a potent devotional practice.