Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा देवगणाः सर्वे द्वारकां प्रति मंदिरे । गीतवाद्यादि निर्घोषैर्नृत्यमानाः प्रहर्षिताः

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā devagaṇāḥ sarve dvārakāṃ prati maṃdire | gītavādyādi nirghoṣairnṛtyamānāḥ praharṣitāḥ

Translation

Voyant Dvārakā et s’approchant de ses temples, toutes les cohortes des dieux—au milieu du retentissement des chants et des instruments—dansèrent, transportées de joie.

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: दृश्, अर्थे: ‘दृष्ट्वा’ = having seen

• देवगणाः: groups of gods
• देवगणाः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां गणाः)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (देवगणाः)

• द्वारकां: Dvaraka
• द्वारकां: कर्म (Object/goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: दिशा/सम्प्रदानार्थक (towards)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय; दिशाबोधक (towards)

• मंदिरे: in the temple
• मंदिरे: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरणम् (location)

• गीतवाद्यादि: song, instruments, etc.
• गीतवाद्यादि: निर्घोष-विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘nirghoṣaiḥ’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत (प्रातिपदिक) + वाद्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (गीतं च वाद्यं च आदि च)

• निर्घोषैः: with loud sounds
• निर्घोषैः: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्घोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करणम् (instrument/means)

• नृत्यमानाः: dancing
• नृत्यमानाः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Describing subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नृत्य (धातु: नृत्)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय; Present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• प्रहर्षिताः: delighted
• प्रहर्षिताः: कर्ता-विशेषण (State of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रहर्षित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तृ-विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narrator (descriptive narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā-mandira-kṣetra (temple precincts)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viprendra (implicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A jubilant divine throng nearing Dvārakā’s temple precincts; devas dance in rows while musicians play drums, cymbals, and lutes; banners flutter; temple towers rise ahead.

Characters & Entities

• Dvārakā
• Deva-gaṇas (hosts of gods)
• Mandiras (temples)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places naturally evoke devotion expressed through joyful worship—song, music, and dance offered as reverent celebration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā and her mandiras (temple precincts) are highlighted as the locus of divine celebration.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied devotional worship through gīta-vādya (sacred music) and nṛtya (devotional dance), though not framed as a formal injunction.