Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । ततो घटोत्कचो मुक्त्वा तत्र कामकटंकटाम् । पुत्रेणानुगतो धीमान्वियता द्वारकां ययौ

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | tato ghaṭotkaco muktvā tatra kāmakaṭaṃkaṭām | putreṇānugato dhīmānviyatā dvārakāṃ yayau

Translation

สูตกล่าวว่า: ครั้นแล้ว ฆโฏตกจะผู้มีปัญญาได้ละกามกฏังกฏาไว้ ณ ที่นั้น แล้วออกเดินทางสู่ทวารกาทางนภา โดยมีบุตรติดตามไป

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Speaker/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc nom sg)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्ण), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (perfect, 3rd sg)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla/Anantarya (Temporal sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थे (then)

• घटोत्कचः: Ghaṭotkaca
• घटोत्कचः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घटोत्कच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc nom sg; proper noun)

• मुक्त्वा: having left
• मुक्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having released/left)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Deśa/Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb: ‘there’)

• कामकटंकटाम्: Kāmakaṭaṃkaṭā (place/name)
• कामकटंकटाम्: Karma (Object of मुक्त्वा: place left)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + कटंकटा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (काम-रूपा कटंकटा; proper/place-name)

• पुत्रेण: with/by (his) son
• पुत्रेण: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (masc instrumental sg)

• अनुगतः: accompanied/followed
• अनुगतः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of घटोत्कचः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु + गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे (having been followed / accompanied)

• धीमान्: wise
• धीमान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of घटोत्कचः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc nom sg)

• वियता: through the sky
• वियता: Karaṇa (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वियत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (neuter instrumental sg; ‘through the sky/air’)

• द्वारकाम्: to Dvārakā
• द्वारकाम्: Gati/Karma (Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (fem acc sg; destination)

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (perfect, 3rd sg: ‘went’)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta-narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ghaṭotkaca, the wise rākṣasa-hero, rises into the sky with his son, leaving behind Kāmakataṅkaṭā; below, the landscape recedes as Dvārakā lies ahead.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Ghaṭotkaca
• Dvārakā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A devotee approaches the righteous with humility and clear intent, showing that dharmic purpose guides even the mighty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā is highlighted as the sacred royal city associated with Vāsudeva Kṛṣṇa and the Yādavas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual act is prescribed here; the verse sets up a reverential journey toward Kṛṣṇa’s abode.