Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

गोपालराजस्य गृहे रथेनादित्यवर्चसा । समागतो महाबाहुः कृष्णवेषानुगस्तथा

Transliteration

gopālarājasya gṛhe rathenādityavarcasā | samāgato mahābāhuḥ kṛṣṇaveṣānugastathā

Translation

Sa bahay ng haring pastol (Nanda) ay dumating, sakay ng karwaheng kislap na parang araw, ang isang makapangyarihang may malalakas na bisig, na nakadamit na kahawig ng kay Kṛṣṇa.

Word by Word

• गोपालराजस्य: of King Gopāla
• गोपालराजस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपालराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—गोपालस्य राजा इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• गृहे: in the house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• रथेन: by/with a chariot
• रथेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• आदित्यवर्चसा: with sun-like radiance
• आदित्यवर्चसा: Karana (Instrumental qualifier/करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदित्य-वर्चस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (वर्चस्-शब्दः), तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—आदित्यस्य वर्चः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; विशेषणरूपेण (रथेन) सह

• समागतः: arrived
• समागतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘arrived/has come’

• महाबाहुः: the mighty-armed one
• महाबाहुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā-बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—महान् बाहुः यस्य/महाबाहुः (कर्मधारय-रूपेण प्रचलित विशेषण-नाम)

• कृष्णवेषानुगः: following/assuming Kṛṣṇa’s guise
• कृष्णवेषानुगः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण-वेष-अनुग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कृष्णस्य वेषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + अनुगः (तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समासः: वेषम् अनुगतः)

• तथा: thus/also
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Dvārakā-māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vraja (Nanda-gṛha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant chariot, bright as the sun, stops at Nanda’s home; a mighty-armed figure steps down, wearing garments reminiscent of Kṛṣṇa, causing onlookers to waver between hope and uncertainty.

Characters & Entities

• Nanda (Gopālarāja)
• Uddhava (implied by context)
• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord’s grace reaches devotees through His emissaries; even a messenger can become a bearer of divine presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Nanda’s Gokula/Vraja is highlighted as a revered devotional locale, within the overarching Dvārakā-māhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse supports the theme of honoring the Lord’s representative.