Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

नमस्कृत्य च गोविदं प्रययौ नंदगोकुलम् । स तत्सदृशवेषेण वस्त्रालंकारभूषणैः

Transliteration

namaskṛtya ca govidaṃ prayayau naṃdagokulam | sa tatsadṛśaveṣeṇa vastrālaṃkārabhūṣaṇaiḥ

Translation

ഗോവിന്ദനെ നമസ്കരിച്ച് അദ്ദേഹം നന്ദന്റെ ഗോകുലത്തിലേക്ക് പുറപ്പെട്ടു; അവിടുത്തെ ജനങ്ങൾക്ക് യോജിച്ച വേഷത്തിൽ, വസ്ത്ര-അലങ്കാര-ഭൂഷണങ്ങളാൽ അലങ്കൃതനായിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• नमस्कृत्य: having saluted
• नमस्कृत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नमस् + कृ (धातु) → नमस्कृत्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund); ‘having saluted’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• गोविन्दम्: Govinda
• गोविन्दम्: Karma (Object of salutation/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रययौ: went
• प्रययौ: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नन्दगोकुलम्: to Nanda’s Gokula
• नन्दगोकुलम्: Karma (Goal/destination as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + गोकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नन्दस्य गोकुलम्)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तत्सदृशवेषेण: with a disguise similar to that
• तत्सदृशवेषेण: Karana (Means/manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + सदृश (प्रातिपदिक) + वेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तत्सदृशः वेषः)

• वस्त्रालंकारभूषणैः: with garments, ornaments, and adornments
• वस्त्रालंकारभूषणैः: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अलंकार (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (वस्त्राणि च अलंकाराः च भूषणानि च)

Speaker

Prahlāda (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nanda-gokula (Gokula)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Uddhava bows to Govinda, then departs dressed in Vraja-appropriate garments and ornaments, blending courtly refinement with pastoral simplicity.

Characters & Entities

• Govinda (Kṛṣṇa)
• Uddhava
• Nanda
• Gokula

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Begin sacred work with reverence to the Lord; humility and proper conduct sanctify one’s journey.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Nanda’s Gokula is highlighted as a revered landscape of Kṛṣṇa’s devotees.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Namaskāra (salutation) to Govinda is exemplified as devotional etiquette.