Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

यदि तीर्थं नरो गच्छेद्गयाश्राद्धफलेप्सया । तथाविधविधानेन यात्रा कुर्याद्विचक्षणः

Transliteration

yadi tīrthaṃ naro gacchedgayāśrāddhaphalepsayā | tathāvidhavidhānena yātrā kuryādvicakṣaṇaḥ

Translation

Si un homme se rend à un tīrtha en désirant le fruit du Gayā-śrāddha, que l’homme avisé accomplisse le pèlerinage selon cette même discipline prescrite.

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक-समुच्चय (conditional particle)

• तीर्थम्: a pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative); एकवचन

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative); एकवचन

• गच्छेत्: should go
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गया-श्राद्ध-फल-ईप्सया: with the desire for the fruit of Gayā-śrāddha
• गया-श्राद्ध-फल-ईप्सया: Hetu (Cause/Motive/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gayā (प्रातिपदिक) + śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + īpsā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental); एकवचन; हेतौ/निमित्ते (as motive)

• तथा: thus; in that manner
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• विध-विधानेन: by such a prescribed procedure
• विध-विधानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidha (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental); एकवचन; साधन/प्रकार (by the prescribed procedure)

• यात्राम्: the pilgrimage-journey
• यात्राम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yātrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative); एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विचक्षणः: discerning; wise
• विचक्षणः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vicakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative); एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘नरः’)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa tīrthas (as Gayā-śrāddha-phala-seeking destination)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Frame-listener(s) (unspecified)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim sets out with a clear vow, holding ritual items and a staff, while a learned guide indicates the prescribed route—symbolizing ‘vicakṣaṇa’ adherence to vidhi for Gayā-like fruit.

Characters & Entities

• Tīrtha
• Gayā
• Śrāddha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desired spiritual results require proper means—right intention joined to right ritual discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse references Gayā as the benchmark for śrāddha-fruit, while teaching pilgrimage discipline within the Prabhāsa context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform the yātrā following the prescribed vidhāna when seeking śrāddha-related merit.