Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

ततो गच्छेद्द्विजश्रेष्ठास्तीर्थमानकदुन्दुभेः । शूरतीर्थं परमकं गदतीर्थमतः परम्

Transliteration

tato gaccheddvijaśreṣṭhāstīrthamānakadundubheḥ | śūratīrthaṃ paramakaṃ gadatīrthamataḥ param

Translation

پھر اے افضلِ دِویج، آناک دُندُبھِی (وسودیو) کے تیرتھ کی طرف جانا چاہیے۔ اس کے بعد نہایت برتر شُور تیرتھ ہے، اور پھر اس کے بعد گدا تیرتھ ہے۔

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.