Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

श्रीप्रह्लाद उवाच । तस्माद्द्वारवतीं गत्वा संसेव्यो देवनायकः

Transliteration

śrīprahlāda uvāca | tasmāddvāravatīṃ gatvā saṃsevyo devanāyakaḥ

Translation

ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਪ੍ਰਹਲਾਦ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ: ਇਸ ਲਈ ਦ੍ਵਾਰਵਤੀ ਨੂੰ ਜਾ ਕੇ ਦੇਵਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਾਇਕ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੀ ਭਗਤੀ ਨਾਲ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰਨੀ ਚਾਹੀਦੀ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• श्रीप्रह्लादः: Śrī Prahlāda
• श्रीप्रह्लादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक; श्री + प्रह्लाद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that (reason)
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• द्वारवतीम्: Dvāravatī (Dvārakā)
• द्वारवतीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• संसेव्यः: should be served/worshipped
• संसेव्यः: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + सेव् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Gerundive/Obligative), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• देवनायकः: leader of the gods (the Lord)
• देवनायकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + नायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Śrī Prahlāda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvāravatī (Dvārakā)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas (explicit: ‘uvāca’ addressed to an audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Prahlāda, serene and radiant, addresses assembled brāhmaṇas/pilgrims, pointing toward Dvāravatī; in the distance, the temple of Dvārakādhīśa rises above the sea, inviting sevā.

Characters & Entities

• Prahlāda
• Dwāravatī (Dwārakā)
• Devanāyaka (the Lord; contextually Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage should culminate in sevā and worship; visiting Dwārakā is meant to deepen devotion to the Lord.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dwāravatī/Dwārakā, recommended as a destination for worship and spiritual renewal.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sevā (devotional service/worship) of the Devanāyaka after reaching Dwārakā.