Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

यात्रार्थं देवदेवस्य यः प्रेरयति चापरान् । मानवान्नात्र सन्देहो लभते वैष्णवं पदम्

Transliteration

yātrārthaṃ devadevasya yaḥ prerayati cāparān | mānavānnātra sandeho labhate vaiṣṇavaṃ padam

Translation

ਦੇਵਾਂ ਦੇ ਦੇਵ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਲਈ ਤੀਰਥ-ਯਾਤਰਾ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਸਤੇ ਜੋ ਹੋਰਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਪ੍ਰੇਰਿਤ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਇਸ ਵਿੱਚ ਸੰਦੇਹ ਨਹੀਂ, ਉਹ ਵੈਸ਼ਨਵ ਪਰਮ ਪਦ ਨੂੰ ਪਾ ਲੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• यात्रार्थम्: for the purpose of pilgrimage
• यात्रार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (यात्रायै अर्थः / यात्रायाः अर्थः = for the sake of the journey)

• देवदेवस्य: of the God of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय (देवानां देवः)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• प्रेरयति: urges/ प्रेरित करता है
• प्रेरयति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-ईर्/ईर् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative sense: causes to go/urges)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपरान्: others
• अपरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मानवान्: people
• मानवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• न: not
• न: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Locative/Contextual)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: here/in this matter)

• सन्देहः: doubt
• सन्देहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• लभते: obtains
• लभते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• वैष्णवम्: Vaiṣṇava
• वैष्णवम्: Visheshaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पदम्: state/abode
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced; Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee gestures toward the road to Dvārakā, guiding a small group of pilgrims; above them a symbolic ‘Vaiṣṇava pada’ (lotus-footprint/parama-pada) shines, indicating the promised attainment.

Characters & Entities

• Dvārakā
• Viṣṇu
• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Supporting dharma by motivating others toward pilgrimage is itself a powerful devotional act that leads to the highest Vaiṣṇava goal.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, the sacred city of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, praised in the Dvārakā Māhātmya of the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The prescription is not a material rite but a dharmic act: urging and organizing others to go on yātrā for the Lord.