Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

कृष्णं दृष्ट्वा समभ्यर्च्य कृत्वा यात्रां यथाविधि । दत्त्वा दानानि बहुशः कृतकृत्यास्ततोऽभवन्

Transliteration

kṛṣṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā samabhyarcya kṛtvā yātrāṃ yathāvidhi | dattvā dānāni bahuśaḥ kṛtakṛtyāstato'bhavan

Translation

Ayant contemplé Kṛṣṇa et l’ayant adoré comme il se doit, ils accomplirent le pèlerinage selon la règle; ils firent de nombreux dons, puis se tinrent pour comblés.

Word by Word

• कृष्णम्: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) = 'having seen'

• समभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• समभ्यर्च्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अभि-अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) = 'having duly worshipped'

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) = 'having done/performed'

• यात्राम्: pilgrimage/ritual journey
• यात्राम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• यथाविधि: according to rule
• यथाविधि: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + विधि (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; क्रियाविशेषण = 'as prescribed'

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) = 'having given'

• दानानि: gifts, donations
• दानानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• बहुशः: many times, abundantly
• बहुशः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = 'many times/abundantly'

• कृतकृत्याः: fulfilled, having accomplished their duty
• कृतकृत्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (कृतं कृत्यं येषाम् = having accomplished what was to be done)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण)

• अभवन्: they became
• अभवन्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपदी; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (standard Sūta frame; not restated in this verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims stand before Kṛṣṇa’s shrine in Dvārakā, offering flowers and tulasī, then distributing gifts; their faces show calm fulfillment after completing the prescribed yātrā.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Dvārakā
• Dāna
• Yātrā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha-yātrā is perfected through darśana, worship, and generosity—inner devotion expressed as outer dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, as the place where Kṛṣṇa’s darśana and worship complete the pilgrim’s aim.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yathāvidhi yātrā (pilgrimage as prescribed), arcana (worship), and repeated dāna (charitable giving).