Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

ततो गच्छेद्द्विजश्रेष्ठास्तीर्थमानकदुन्दुभेः । शूरतीर्थं परमकं गदतीर्थमतः परम्

Transliteration

tato gaccheddvijaśreṣṭhāstīrthamānakadundubheḥ | śūratīrthaṃ paramakaṃ gadatīrthamataḥ param

Translation

அதன்பின், ஓ த்விஜச்ரேஷ்டா! ஆனகதுந்துபி (வசுதேவர்) தீர்த்தத்திற்குச் செல்ல வேண்டும். அதன் பின் மிகச் சிறந்த சூர-தீர்த்தம், அதற்குப் பின் கதா-தீர்த்தம் உள்ளது.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), क्रम/अनन्तर (thereafter)

• गच्छेत्: should go
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); सम्बोधनार्थे प्रयोगः (addressing sense)

• तीर्थम्: to the sacred ford/place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• आनकदुन्दुभेः: of Ānakadundubhi (Vasudeva)
• आनकदुन्दुभेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनकदुन्दुभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• शूरतीर्थम्: Śūra-tīrtha
• शूरतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• परमकम्: supreme/excellent
• परमकम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of शूरतीर्थम्

• गदतीर्थम्: Gada-tīrtha
• गदतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गद + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अतः: then/from there
• अतः: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), अनन्तर/ततः (from here/thereafter)

• परम्: next/another
• परम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (elliptic: ‘another/next [tīrtha]’)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānakadundubhi-tīrtha; Śūra-tīrtha; Gada-tīrtha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-śreṣṭha (addressed audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim itinerary tableau: three adjacent tīrtha-stops with small shrines/steps; symbolic emblems—conch/lotus for Vasudeva, a royal banner for Śūra, and a mace (gadā) for Gada—mark each ford.

Characters & Entities

• Ānakadundubhi (Vasudeva)
• Śūra-tīrtha
• Gada-tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is also remembrance: tīrthas preserve the sanctity of divine and heroic lineages, guiding devotees through a dharmic itinerary.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha of Ānakadundubhi (Vasudeva), along with Śūra-tīrtha and Gada-tīrtha in the Dvārakā circuit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The prescription is sequential visitation (gacchet) of these tīrthas; specific rites are not detailed in this verse.