Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

भविष्यति कुलेऽस्माकं माहात्म्यं द्वारकाभवम् । लिखित्वा कृष्णतुष्ट्यर्थं स्वगृहे धारयिष्यति

Transliteration

bhaviṣyati kule'smākaṃ māhātmyaṃ dvārakābhavam | likhitvā kṛṣṇatuṣṭyarthaṃ svagṛhe dhārayiṣyati

Translation

Dans notre lignée, il y aura quelqu’un qui, après avoir écrit ce māhātmya né de Dvārakā pour la joie de Kṛṣṇa, le gardera précieusement dans sa propre demeure.

Word by Word

• भविष्यति: will be / will occur
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present tense), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular); परस्मैपदम्

• कुले: in the family
• कुले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (neuter), सप्तमी विभक्तिः (locative/7th), एकवचनम् (singular)

• अस्माकम्: of us / our
• अस्माकम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्तिः (genitive/6th), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• माहात्म्यम्: the greatness (glory)
• माहात्म्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (neuter), प्रथमा विभक्तिः (nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (singular)

• द्वारकाभवम्: connected with Dvārakā / of Dvārakā
• द्वारकाभवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वारका (प्रातिपदिक) + भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (determinative; द्वारकायाः भवम् = arising from/connected with Dvārakā); नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (neuter), प्रथमा विभक्तिः (nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (singular)

• लिखित्वा: having written
• लिखित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिख् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having written)

• कृष्णतुष्ट्यर्थम्: for Kṛṣṇa’s satisfaction
• कृष्णतुष्ट्यर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + तुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (determinative; कृष्णस्य तुष्ट्यर्थम् = for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa); पुंलिङ्गम् (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्तिः (accusative/2nd), एकवचनम् (singular)

• स्वगृहे: in (one’s) own house
• स्वगृहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमासः (descriptive; स्वं गृहं = one’s own house); नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (neuter), सप्तमी विभक्तिः (locative/7th), एकवचनम् (singular)

• धारयिष्यति: will keep / will preserve
• धारयिष्यति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (simple future), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular); परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Pitṛs (ancestors), as quoted within the Dvārakā-māhātmya context

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee carefully writes the Dvārakā-māhātmya on palm leaves or paper, then wraps and places it on a household altar for Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Dvārakā-māhātmya
• Kṛṣṇa
• Lekhya (writing)
• Gṛha (home)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Preserving sacred narratives (by copying and keeping them) is treated as devotional service offered for the Lord’s pleasure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, via the reverent preservation of its māhātmya text.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Writing (likhitvā) the Dvārakā-māhātmya and keeping it safeguarded at home as a devotional act.