Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

गजवाजिरथांस्त्यक्ता पदाभ्यां याति यो नरः । पुष्पकेण विमानेन स याति शिवमंदिरम्

Transliteration

gajavājirathāṃstyaktā padābhyāṃ yāti yo naraḥ | puṣpakeṇa vimānena sa yāti śivamaṃdiram

Translation

L’homme qui, renonçant aux éléphants, aux chevaux et aux chars, marche à pied, celui-là gagne la demeure de Śiva dans le vimāna céleste Puṣpaka.

Word by Word

• गजवाजिरथान्: elephants, horses, and chariots
• गजवाजिरथान्: Karma (Object of tyaktvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज + वाजि + रथ (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (accusative plural); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• पदाभ्याम्: with (his) two feet; on foot
• पदाभ्याम्: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन (instrumental dual)

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (present, 3rd sg)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (relative pronoun)

• नरः: man/person
• नरः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (nominative singular)

• पुष्पकेण: by the Puṣpaka (vehicle)
• पुष्पकेण: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्पक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• विमानेन: by an aerial car
• विमानेन: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (demonstrative pronoun)

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (present, 3rd sg)

• शिवमन्दिरम्: Śiva’s temple/abode
• शिवमन्दिरम्: Karma (Goal/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + मन्दिर (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (accusative singular); समासः (शिवस्य मन्दिरम्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra (Śiva-mandira goal)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhūpati (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim renounces elephants, horses, and chariots, walking with staff; above, the Puṣpaka vimāna descends or awaits, leading toward a radiant Śiva-mandira in the heavens.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Puṣpaka-vimāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility and effort in sacred travel amplify merit; simplicity becomes a vehicle to the divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Vastrāpatha-kṣetra pilgrimage context, culminating in reaching Śiva’s realm/abode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform the pilgrimage on foot, renouncing luxurious conveyances.