Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

पुष्करे कार्त्तिकीं कृत्वा यत्फलं वर्षकोटिभिः । तत्फलं द्वारकावासे दिनेनैकेन जायते

Transliteration

puṣkare kārttikīṃ kṛtvā yatphalaṃ varṣakoṭibhiḥ | tatphalaṃ dvārakāvāse dinenaikena jāyate

Translation

പുഷ്കരത്തിൽ കാർത്തികീ വ്രതം കോടിവർഷങ്ങൾ ആചരിച്ചാൽ ലഭിക്കുന്ന പുണ്യം, ദ്വാരകയിൽ ഒരുദിവസം വസിച്ചാൽ തന്നെ ജനിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• पुष्करे: at Puṣkara
• पुष्करे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (स्थानवाचकः)

• कार्त्तिकीम्: the Kārttikī observance (in Kārttika month)
• कार्त्तिकीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्त्तिकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; (कार्त्तिकी-व्रतम्/पूजा)

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund), ‘having done/performed’

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; ‘फलम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• वर्षकोटिभिः: by (means of) crores of years (i.e., over crores of years)
• वर्षकोटिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्षकोटि (प्रातिपदिक; वर्ष + कोटि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम्; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वर्षाणां कोटयः)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; ‘फलम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• द्वारकावासे: in dwelling at Dvārakā
• द्वारकावासे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारकावास (प्रातिपदिक; द्वारका + वास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः तत्पुरुषः (द्वारकायां वासः)

• दिनेन: by a day; within a day
• दिनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• एकेन: one
• एकेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘दिनेन’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• जायते: arises/comes to be
• जायते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (benchmark: Puṣkara Kārtikī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Split-scene: Puṣkara lake with Kārtika lamps and pilgrims contrasted with Dvārakā’s sea-shore temple; a single day in Dvārakā shown as a radiant ‘scale’ outweighing vast years at Puṣkara.

Characters & Entities

• Puṣkara
• Kārttika (month/observance)
• Dvārakā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Certain sacred abodes concentrate spiritual power; even brief contact through residence can surpass long austerities elsewhere.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā is glorified as exceptionally merit-giving; Puṣkara is cited as a renowned comparator tied to Kārtika observances.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Residence in Dvārakā for one day is presented as a powerful practice; Kārtikī at Puṣkara is referenced comparatively.