Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा वसिष्ठमनुगामायान्तीं सुरपावनीम् । अवाकिरन्महाभागां सुमनोभिश्च सर्वशः

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā vasiṣṭhamanugāmāyāntīṃ surapāvanīm | avākiranmahābhāgāṃ sumanobhiśca sarvaśaḥ

Translation

ਵਸਿਸ਼ਠ ਦੇ ਅਨੁਗਾਮੀ ਵਜੋਂ ਆਉਂਦੀ, ਦੇਵਤਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਪਾਵਨ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲੀ ਉਸ ਮਹਾਭਾਗਾ ਨੂੰ ਵੇਖ ਕੇ, ਉਹਨਾਂ ਨੇ ਹਰ ਪਾਸੇ ਤੋਂ ਫੁੱਲਾਂ ਦੀ ਵਰਖਾ ਕੀਤੀ।

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (पूर्वकाल)

• वसिष्ठम्: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अनुगाम्: following (him)
• अनुगाम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु + गाम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘अनुगाम्’ = following (her)

• आयान्तीम्: coming; approaching
• आयान्तीम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-या (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सुरपावनीम्)

• सुरपावनीम्: the purifier of the gods (Gaṅgā)
• सुरपावनीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + पावनी (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुराणां पावनी)

• अवाकिरन्: they showered; they scattered
• अवाकिरन्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-किॄ (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• महाभागाम्: illustrious
• महाभागाम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + भाग (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सुरपावनीम्)

• सुमनोभिः: with flowers
• सुमनोभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुमनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः)

• सर्वशः: on all sides; in every way
• सर्वशः: Adhikarana (Adverbial manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकारवाचक), ‘सर्वतः/सर्वप्रकारेण’ इत्यर्थे

Speaker

Narrator within the Dvārakā Māhātmya (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant, auspicious purifier approaches behind/with Vasiṣṭha; sages and brāhmaṇas shower her with blossoms from every side, creating a canopy of flowers over the procession.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Sura-pāvanī (epithet of the river goddess)
• Sages (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Honoring purifying sacred waters is itself a dharmic act, expressing gratitude for their power to cleanse and uplift.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Gomatī-associated tīrtha tradition in the Dvārakā region, where the river is welcomed and worshiped.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering flowers (puṣpavṛṣṭi/puṣpārcana) as a gesture of pūjā and welcome.