Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

अध्वनि श्रांतदेहस्य वाहनं यः प्रयच्छति । हंसयुक्तेन स नरो विमानेन दिवं व्रजेत्

Transliteration

adhvani śrāṃtadehasya vāhanaṃ yaḥ prayacchati | haṃsayuktena sa naro vimānena divaṃ vrajet

Translation

Celui qui procure une monture au voyageur dont le corps est brisé de fatigue sur la route, cet homme gagnera le ciel dans un char céleste attelé de cygnes.

Word by Word

• अध्वनि: on the road, in the journey
• अध्वनि: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th); एकवचन

• श्रान्त-देहस्य: of (one) whose body is tired
• श्रान्त-देहस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रान्त (कृदन्त/भूतकृदन्त) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th); एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (श्रान्तः देहः यस्य)

• वाहनम्: a vehicle, conveyance
• वाहनम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st); एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• प्रयच्छति: gives, bestows
• प्रयच्छति: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन

• हंस-युक्तेन: with (a vehicle) yoked with swans
• हंस-युक्तेन: करण (Instrument/means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हंस (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त/भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd); एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (हंसैः युक्तः)

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; संकेत-सर्वनाम

• नरः: man, person
• नरः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• विमानेन: by an aerial car
• विमानेन: करण (Instrument/vehicle)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• दिवम्: to heaven
• दिवम्: कर्म/गति-लक्ष्य (Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• व्रजेत्: would go, may go
• व्रजेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (deduced; Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A weary pilgrim on a long road is offered a conveyance by a compassionate donor; above, a radiant vimāna drawn by white swans appears as a visionary promise of svarga.

Characters & Entities

• Dvārakā
• Svarga
• Vimāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Removing a pilgrim’s hardship is treated as sacred service that yields exalted posthumous reward.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā pilgrimage is the implied context; the verse praises aiding travelers on that sacred route.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vāhana-dāna: providing a vehicle/ride to a weary traveler during yātrā.