Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

तत्र गत्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठाः प्रक्षाल्य चरणौ मुदा । करौ चास्यं चैव पुनः प्रणमेद्दंडवत्पुनः

Transliteration

tatra gatvā dvijaśreṣṭhāḥ prakṣālya caraṇau mudā | karau cāsyaṃ caiva punaḥ praṇameddaṃḍavatpunaḥ

Translation

ହେ ଦ୍ୱିଜଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ! ସେଠାକୁ ଯାଇ ଆନନ୍ଦରେ ପାଦ, ହାତ ଓ ମୁଖ ପ୍ରକ୍ଷାଳନ କରି, ପରେ ଦଣ୍ଡବତ୍ ହୋଇ ପୁନଃ ପ୍ରଣାମ କର।

Word by Word

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: there)

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Converb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु) → gatvā (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having gone’

• dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ: O best Brahmins / best of the twice-born
• dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘द्विजानां श्रेष्ठाः’ (best of the twice-born)

• prakṣālya: having washed
• prakṣālya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Converb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṣāl (धातु) उपसर्ग-प्र + prakṣālya (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having washed’

• caraṇau: (two) feet
• caraṇau: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), द्विवचन

• mudā: with joy
• mudā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mudā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; भावे करण (with joy)

• karau: (two) hands
• karau: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), द्विवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• āsyam: mouth/face
• āsyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (particle: indeed/just)

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

• praṇamet: should bow
• praṇamet: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nam (धातु) उपसर्ग-प्र
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; विधि/आदेशार्थ (should bow)

• daṇḍavat: prostrating fully
• daṇḍavat: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: daṇḍavat (अव्यय/तद्धितान्त)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: like a staff; prostrate)

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Deductive (Dvārakā Māhātmya narrator within Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa; traditionally Sūta speaking in Purāṇic frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā-kṣetra (entry-ācāra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvijaśreṣṭhāḥ (best of the twice-born)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa-pilgrim arrives at Dvārakā; he washes feet and hands at a water pot/shore, rinses mouth, then performs a full daṇḍavat prostration facing the shrine.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approach sacred places with reverence and bodily purity; humility (praṇāma) is central to tīrtha-dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instructions belong to the Dvārakā context, specifically the approach to Cakratīrtha described in this chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Wash feet, hands, and mouth (purificatory acts akin to ācamanā/śauca), then perform daṇḍavat-praṇāma.