Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

दर्शनेन सरस्वत्या राजसूयो न राजते । गंडूषश्चाश्वमेधाद्वै सर्व क्रतुवरं पयः

Transliteration

darśanena sarasvatyā rājasūyo na rājate | gaṃḍūṣaścāśvamedhādvai sarva kratuvaraṃ payaḥ

Translation

เพียงได้เห็นสรัสวตี แม้ยัญราสสูยะก็หม่นรัศมีลง และเพียงน้ำหนึ่งอึกของนาง ยิ่งกว่ายัญอัศวเมธา—น้ำของนางเป็นผลอันประเสริฐสุดในบรรดาผลแห่งพิธียัญทั้งปวง

Word by Word

• दर्शनेन: by (the) sight
• दर्शनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• सरस्वत्या: of Sarasvatī / by Sarasvatī
• सरस्वत्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• राजसूयः: Rājasūya (sacrifice)
• राजसूयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजसूय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• राजते: shines/is splendid
• राजते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √राज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• गण्डूषः: a mouthful (of water)
• गण्डूषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण्डूष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अश्वमेधात्: than the Aśvamedha
• अश्वमेधात्: Apadana (Comparison/source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• सर्व: all, entire
• सर्व: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (to ‘पयः’)

• क्रतु-वरम्: best of sacrifices
• क्रतु-वरम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (‘best among sacrifices’) विशेषण (to ‘पयः’)

• पयः: water
• पयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarasvatī

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim beholds the Sarasvatī—light radiates from the river; in the background, faint symbolic scenes of Rājasūya and Aśvamedha appear diminished, while the river-water in the pilgrim’s palm glows like liquid yajña-fire.

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī
• Rājasūya
• Aśvamedha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage and reverent encounter with a holy tīrtha can grant merit beyond grand royal sacrifices, emphasizing accessible dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Sarasvatī tīrtha in the Prabhāsa Kṣetra context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana (beholding) of the river and drinking a mouthful (gaṇḍūṣa) of Sarasvatī water.