Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

विहाय गौतमीं तत्र प्रययुर्ह्यग्रतोग्रतः । प्रहृष्टा गौतमी तत्र प्रणम्य त्वरिता ययौ

Transliteration

vihāya gautamīṃ tatra prayayurhyagratogrataḥ | prahṛṣṭā gautamī tatra praṇamya tvaritā yayau

Translation

ครั้นละคงคา-โกตมีไว้ ณ ที่นั้น เขาทั้งหลายก็เร่งรุดไปข้างหน้าอย่างกระตือรือร้น ส่วนโกตมีก็ปลาบปลื้ม กราบนอบน้อม ณ ที่นั้น แล้วรีบติดตามไปโดยพลัน

Word by Word

• विहाय: having left
• विहाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु) + वि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), 'having left/abandoned'

• गौतमीम्: Gautamī (river/region)
• गौतमीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place: there)

• प्रययुः: went forth
• प्रययुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• अग्रतः: in front
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in front/ahead)

• अग्रतः: ahead (again; emphatic repetition)
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in front/ahead)

• प्रहृष्टा: delighted
• प्रहृष्टा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + हृष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP used adjectivally), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• गौतमी: Gautamī
• गौतमी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place: there)

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), 'having bowed'

• त्वरिता: hastened / in haste
• त्वरिता: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Prahlāda (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gautamī (Godāvarī)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims move ahead in haste; behind them the river-goddess Gautamī, radiant and smiling, offers a bow at the spot of departure and then swiftly follows, her waters flowing like a living being.

Characters & Entities

• Gautamī (Godāvarī)
• Pilgrims (dvijāḥ, implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is portrayed as a living, devotional journey—moving from one holy presence to another with reverence and eagerness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gautamī (Godāvarī) is referenced as a sacred river-tīrtha within the broader journey toward Dvārakā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praṇāma (bowing) is implied as an act of reverence before departing a sacred river-tīrtha.