Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

याहि शीघ्रं सरिच्छ्रेष्ठे पृथिव्यां हरिकारणात् । गां गता त्वं महाभागे ततो बहुमताऽसि मे

Transliteration

yāhi śīghraṃ saricchreṣṭhe pṛthivyāṃ harikāraṇāt | gāṃ gatā tvaṃ mahābhāge tato bahumatā'si me

Translation

“Hãy đi mau, hỡi bậc tối thượng trong các dòng sông, xuống cõi đất vì việc của Hari. Khi đã đến trần gian, hỡi người hữu phúc, nàng sẽ được Ta tôn vinh trọng hậu.”

Word by Word

• याहि: go
• याहि: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तं; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: quickly)

• सरित्-श्रेष्ठे: O best of rivers
• सरित्-श्रेष्ठे: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सरितां श्रेष्ठा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पृथिव्याम्: on the earth
• पृथिव्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• हरि-कारणात्: because of Hari’s purpose
• हरि-कारणात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (हरेः कारणम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• गाम्: to the earth (gāṃ)
• गाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• गता: gone
• गता: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √गम् + क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle used adjectivally); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); (त्वं विशेषयति)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• महाभागे: O fortunate one
• महाभागे: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (महान् भागः यस्याः/या); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ततः: therefore/then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तर/तस्मात् (then/therefore)

• बहुमता: highly esteemed
• बहुमता: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुमत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); (त्वं विशेषयति)

• असि: are
• असि: Kriyā (Copula)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• मे: to me / of me
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gomatī (Dvārakā)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial river-goddess receives a divine injunction to descend to earth for Hari’s purpose, with a sense of urgency and auspicious promise.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Gaṅgā
• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Pṛthivī (earth)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred powers serve divine purpose: Gaṅgā’s movement is not random but dharma-driven, aligned with Hari’s work in the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā remains the māhātmya frame, while Gaṅgā is invoked as the supreme tīrtha-river whose sanctity supports Hari’s earthly līlā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse records Brahmā’s command establishing sacred action and future honor for Gaṅgā.