Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

याहि शीघ्रं सरिच्छ्रेष्ठे पृथिव्यां हरिकारणात् । गां गता त्वं महाभागे ततो बहुमताऽसि मे

Transliteration

yāhi śīghraṃ saricchreṣṭhe pṛthivyāṃ harikāraṇāt | gāṃ gatā tvaṃ mahābhāge tato bahumatā'si me

Translation

「急ぎ行け、河川の中の最勝者よ。ハリ（ヴィシュヌ）の御用のために地上へ赴け。地上に至れば、幸いなる者よ、その後わたしは汝を大いに敬い讃えるであろう。」

Word by Word

• याहि: go
• याहि: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तं; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: quickly)

• सरित्-श्रेष्ठे: O best of rivers
• सरित्-श्रेष्ठे: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सरितां श्रेष्ठा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पृथिव्याम्: on the earth
• पृथिव्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• हरि-कारणात्: because of Hari’s purpose
• हरि-कारणात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (हरेः कारणम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• गाम्: to the earth (gāṃ)
• गाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• गता: gone
• गता: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √गम् + क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle used adjectivally); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); (त्वं विशेषयति)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• महाभागे: O fortunate one
• महाभागे: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (महान् भागः यस्याः/या); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ततः: therefore/then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तर/तस्मात् (then/therefore)

• बहुमता: highly esteemed
• बहुमता: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुमत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); (त्वं विशेषयति)

• असि: are
• असि: Kriyā (Copula)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• मे: to me / of me
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gomatī (Dvārakā)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial river-goddess receives a divine injunction to descend to earth for Hari’s purpose, with a sense of urgency and auspicious promise.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Gaṅgā
• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Pṛthivī (earth)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred powers serve divine purpose: Gaṅgā’s movement is not random but dharma-driven, aligned with Hari’s work in the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā remains the māhātmya frame, while Gaṅgā is invoked as the supreme tīrtha-river whose sanctity supports Hari’s earthly līlā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse records Brahmā’s command establishing sacred action and future honor for Gaṅgā.