Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

गत्वा द्वारावतीं रामो हृष्टतुष्टजनाकुलाम् । स्वैरन्तःपुरगैः सार्धं पपौ पानं हलायुधः

Transliteration

gatvā dvārāvatīṃ rāmo hṛṣṭatuṣṭajanākulām | svairantaḥpuragaiḥ sārdhaṃ papau pānaṃ halāyudhaḥ

Translation

ആനന്ദവും തൃപ്തിയും നിറഞ്ഞ ജനങ്ങളാൽ നിറഞ്ഞ ദ്വാരാവതിയിൽ എത്തി, ഹലായുധൻ രാമൻ (ബലരാമൻ) അന്തഃപുരത്തിലെ സഹചാരികളോടൊപ്പം മദ്യം പാനം ചെയ്തു।

Word by Word

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund) — ‘having gone’

• द्वारावतीम्: to Dvaravati
• द्वारावतीम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म-गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारावती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• रामः: Rama (Balarama)
• रामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• हृष्टतुष्टजनाकुलाम्: crowded with delighted and satisfied people
• हृष्टतुष्टजनाकुलाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + तुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक) + आकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (हृष्टाश्च तुष्टाश्च ये जनाः तैः आकुला) — qualifies द्वारावतीम्

• स्वैः: with his own
• स्वैः: Karana/Association (सह)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; अन्तःपुरगैः इत्यस्य विशेषण

• अन्तःपुरगैः: with the people of the inner apartments (harem attendants)
• अन्तःपुरगैः: Karana/Association (सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तःपुर (प्रातिपदिक) + ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अन्तःपुरस्य गाः/गाः = गच्छन्ति/निवसन्ति)

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Association (सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय (adverb/preposition) — ‘together with’

• पपौ: drank
• पपौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्णभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• पानम्: drink, beverage
• पानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• हलायुधः: Halayudha (he whose weapon is a plough; Balarama)
• हलायुधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हल (प्रातिपदिक) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य आयुधं हलः सः) — रामस्य उपनाम

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Balarāma enters bustling, contented Dvārāvatī; within the inner apartments he drinks madya with companions—an intimate palace scene with festive undertones and subtle foreboding.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Balarāma)
• Dvārāvatī (Dvārakā)
• Halāyudha (Balarāma)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even royal enjoyment is depicted within an ordered, dharmic world where sacred places and divine personalities frame human conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārāvatī/Dvārakā is highlighted as a blessed city of prosperity and joy in the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes social and palace life, not a vrata or tīrtha-rite.