Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

दुष्प्राप्यं वैष्णवं स्थानं मखकोटिशतैः कृतैः । हेलया प्राप्यते नूनं द्वादश्यां जागरे कृते

Transliteration

duṣprāpyaṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ sthānaṃ makhakoṭiśataiḥ kṛtaiḥ | helayā prāpyate nūnaṃ dvādaśyāṃ jāgare kṛte

Translation

وَیشنو دھام، جو سینکڑوں کروڑ یَجّیوں کے کرنے سے بھی دشوار ہے، وہ دَوادَشی کی رات جاگَرَن کرنے سے یقیناً تھوڑی سی کوشش میں حاصل ہو جاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• दुष्प्राप्यम्: hard to obtain
• दुष्प्राप्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुस् (उपसर्ग) + प्राप्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (gerundive/यत्-प्रत्ययार्थ: 'hard to obtain') qualifying स्थानम्

• वैष्णवम्: Vaiṣṇava (of Viṣṇu)
• वैष्णवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् of स्थानम्

• स्थानम्: abode/state/place
• स्थानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Subject of implied 'is obtained'

• मखकोटिशतैः: by hundreds of crores of sacrifices
• मखकोटिशतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मख + कोटि + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला—'मखानां कोटयः, तासां शतैः' (by hundreds of crores of sacrifices)

• कृतैः: performed
• कृतैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) agreeing with मखकोटिशतैः—'done/performed'

• हेलया: casually/with ease
• हेलया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; Instrumental—'in a casual manner'

• प्राप्यते: is obtained
• प्राप्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपदम्

• नूनम्: surely
• नूनम्: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) expressing certainty

• द्वादश्याम्: on Dvādaśī
• द्वादश्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative (on the Dvādaśī day)

• जागरे: in the vigil
• जागरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative—'in the vigil'

• कृते: when performed
• कृते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; सति-सप्तमीभावः—'when (it is) done'

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Dvārakā Māhātmya narrative style within Skanda Purāṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience (ṛṣi/śaunaka-type setting implied by Purāṇic convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moonlit Dvādaśī night in Dvārakā: devotees keep vigil with lamps, conch and cymbals, reciting Hari-kathā; the sea-wind and temple flags frame the promise of Vaikuṇṭha.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiṣṇava sthāna (Viṣṇu’s abode)
• Dvādaśī
• Makha (yajña)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa asserts the extraordinary efficacy of bhakti-practices: a simple vigil can surpass the fruit of countless sacrifices.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dvārakā Māhātmya setting (Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa), focused on Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa-oriented observances.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Keeping a night-vigil (jāgaraṇa) on Dvādaśī to attain the Vaiṣṇava state/abode.