Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

सफलं जीवितं तेषां कलौ नृपवरोत्तम ये । षां न स्खलितं चित्तं द्वारकां प्रति गच्छताम्

Transliteration

saphalaṃ jīvitaṃ teṣāṃ kalau nṛpavarottama ye | ṣāṃ na skhalitaṃ cittaṃ dvārakāṃ prati gacchatām

Translation

ഹേ നൃപശ്രേഷ്ഠാ! കലിയുഗത്തിൽ ദ്വാരകയിലേക്കു പോകുമ്പോൾ ആരുടെ ചിത്തം തളരാതെ നിലകൊള്ളുന്നുവോ, അവരുടെ ജീവിതം തന്നെയാണ് സഫലം।

Word by Word

• सफलम्: fruitful
• सफलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सफल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (जीवितम् इत्यस्य)

• जीवितम्: life
• जीवितम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• तेषाम्: of those
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• कलौ: in the Kali age
• कलौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• नृपवरोत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपवरोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (नृपाणां वरः उत्तमः)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• येषाम्: of whom
• येषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; (पाठे 'षां' = 'येषाम्' संक्षेप/प्राकृत-रूप)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• स्खलितम्: has slipped/faltered
• स्खलितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्खल् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (चित्तम् इत्यस्य)

• चित्तम्: mind
• चित्तम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• द्वारकाम्: Dvārakā
• द्वारकाम्: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Sambandha (Direction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश-अव्यय/पूर्वसर्ग (preposition-like indeclinable: towards)

• गच्छताम्: of those going
• गच्छताम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—शतृ (present active participle) 'गच्छत्' का षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; (गच्छताम् = of those who go)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Dvārakā Māhātmya discourse style within Skanda Purāṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpavara (best of kings)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king addresses pilgrims: those walking toward Dvārakā with unwavering minds are shown with a steady flame above the heart; storms and distractions appear at the margins but do not sway them; Dvārakā shines ahead.

Characters & Entities

• Dvārakā
• Kali-yuga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steadfast intention (sankalpa) toward a sacred goal is itself a mark of spiritual success, especially in Kali-yuga.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, as the pilgrimage-destination that crowns life with fulfillment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; the emphasis is on unwavering resolve while undertaking the journey to Dvārakā.