Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

द्वारे कृष्णस्य यो नित्यं दीपमालां करोति हि । सप्तद्वीपवतीराज्यं द्वीपेद्वीपे फलं लभेत्

Transliteration

dvāre kṛṣṇasya yo nityaṃ dīpamālāṃ karoti hi | saptadvīpavatīrājyaṃ dvīpedvīpe phalaṃ labhet

Translation

ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണന്റെ വാതിലിൽ നിത്യവും ദീപമാല അണിയിക്കുന്നവൻ സപ്തദ്വീപാധിപത്യഫലം പ്രാപിച്ച്, ഓരോ ദ്വീപിലും യഥോചിത ഫലവും നേടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• द्वारे: at the door/gate
• द्वारे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन

• कृष्णस्य: of Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), एकवचन

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

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial accusative), नित्यं-अर्थे

• दीपमालाम्: a row/garland of lamps
• दीपमालाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक) + माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Object), एकवचन; समासः—दीपानां माला (garland/row of lamps)

• करोति: makes/arranges
• करोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेतौ/निश्चयार्थे ‘indeed/for’

• सप्तद्वीपवतीराज्यम्: sovereignty over the seven-continents earth
• सप्तद्वीपवतीराज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक) + वती (प्रातिपदिक) + राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Object), एकवचन; समासः—सप्तद्वीपवत्याः राज्यं (sovereignty of the (earth) possessing seven islands/continents)

• द्वीपे: in an island/continent
• द्वीपे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन

• द्वीपे: in each island/continent
• द्वीपे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन (पुनरुक्ति—प्रत्येकद्वीपे)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Object), एकवचन

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced from Purāṇic narration style within Māhātmya sections)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nareśvara / nṛpa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A long lamp-garland lines the doorway of Kṛṣṇa’s shrine in Dvārakā; the entrance glows like a constellation, while the devotee performs daily service; symbolic map of ‘seven continents’ suggested in the background as a cosmic motif.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Dvārakā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Simple, consistent temple service—like offering lamps—carries immense merit and elevates one’s destiny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, the abode of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, praised in the Dvārakā Māhātmya of the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Daily arranging a dīpamālā (a row/garland of lamps) at Kṛṣṇa’s doorway—an act of dīpadāna and temple upacāra.