Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

दुष्प्राप्यं वैष्णवं स्थानं मखकोटिशतैः कृतैः । हेलया प्राप्यते नूनं द्वादश्यां जागरे कृते

Transliteration

duṣprāpyaṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ sthānaṃ makhakoṭiśataiḥ kṛtaiḥ | helayā prāpyate nūnaṃ dvādaśyāṃ jāgare kṛte

Translation

La demeure vaiṣṇava, difficile à obtenir même après des centaines de crores de sacrifices, est assurément atteinte—fût-ce avec peu d’effort—lorsqu’on observe la veille en Dvādaśī.

Word by Word

• दुष्प्राप्यम्: hard to obtain
• दुष्प्राप्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुस् (उपसर्ग) + प्राप्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (gerundive/यत्-प्रत्ययार्थ: 'hard to obtain') qualifying स्थानम्

• वैष्णवम्: Vaiṣṇava (of Viṣṇu)
• वैष्णवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् of स्थानम्

• स्थानम्: abode/state/place
• स्थानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Subject of implied 'is obtained'

• मखकोटिशतैः: by hundreds of crores of sacrifices
• मखकोटिशतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मख + कोटि + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला—'मखानां कोटयः, तासां शतैः' (by hundreds of crores of sacrifices)

• कृतैः: performed
• कृतैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) agreeing with मखकोटिशतैः—'done/performed'

• हेलया: casually/with ease
• हेलया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; Instrumental—'in a casual manner'

• प्राप्यते: is obtained
• प्राप्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपदम्

• नूनम्: surely
• नूनम्: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) expressing certainty

• द्वादश्याम्: on Dvādaśī
• द्वादश्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative (on the Dvādaśī day)

• जागरे: in the vigil
• जागरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative—'in the vigil'

• कृते: when performed
• कृते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; सति-सप्तमीभावः—'when (it is) done'

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Dvārakā Māhātmya narrative style within Skanda Purāṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience (ṛṣi/śaunaka-type setting implied by Purāṇic convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moonlit Dvādaśī night in Dvārakā: devotees keep vigil with lamps, conch and cymbals, reciting Hari-kathā; the sea-wind and temple flags frame the promise of Vaikuṇṭha.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiṣṇava sthāna (Viṣṇu’s abode)
• Dvādaśī
• Makha (yajña)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa asserts the extraordinary efficacy of bhakti-practices: a simple vigil can surpass the fruit of countless sacrifices.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dvārakā Māhātmya setting (Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa), focused on Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa-oriented observances.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Keeping a night-vigil (jāgaraṇa) on Dvādaśī to attain the Vaiṣṇava state/abode.