Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

धनुष्कं च दशारण्यं दंडकारण्यमर्बुदम् । नारायणाश्रमं पश्य द्वारके प्रणतं तथा

Transliteration

dhanuṣkaṃ ca daśāraṇyaṃ daṃḍakāraṇyamarbudam | nārāyaṇāśramaṃ paśya dvārake praṇataṃ tathā

Translation

“看那达努什迦（Dhanuṣka）与达沙兰尼亚（Daśāraṇya）；看那檀陀迦林（Daṇḍakāraṇya）与阿尔布达（Arbuda）；并看那那罗延那修林（Nārāyaṇāśrama）——每一处，噢，堕罗迦，都在敬礼中俯伏。”

Word by Word

• धनुष्कम्: Dhanuṣka (a sacred place)
• धनुष्कम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुष्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• दशारण्यम्: Daśāraṇya (the ‘ten-forests’ region)
• दशारण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (दश अरण्यानि यस्मिन्/दश-अरण्यम्)

• दण्डकारण्यम्: Daṇḍaka forest
• दण्डकारण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्डक (प्रातिपदिक) + अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दण्डकस्य अरण्यम्)

• अर्बुदम्: Arbuda (Mount Abu region)
• अर्बुदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्बुद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• नारायणाश्रमम्: Nārāyaṇa’s hermitage
• नारायणाश्रमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नारायणस्य आश्रमः)

• पश्य: see
• पश्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्वारके: O Dvārakā
• द्वारके: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• प्रणतम्: bowed down
• प्रणतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-√नम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; (उक्त-स्थलानां) विशेषणम्

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: likewise/so)

Speaker

Prahlāda (narrated as part of the Dvārakā Māhātmya dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (with Dhanuṣka/Daśāraṇya/Daṇḍakāraṇya/Arbuda/Nārāyaṇāśrama referenced)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvārakā personified (vocative)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession of personified forests and āśramas—each carrying its emblem (bow for Dhanuṣka, dense grove for Daśāraṇya, ascetic huts for Nārāyaṇāśrama, rocky peak for Arbuda)—all bowing toward Dvārakā’s sanctum by the sea.

Characters & Entities

• Dhanuṣka
• Daśāraṇya
• Daṇḍakāraṇya
• Arbuda
• Nārāyaṇāśrama
• Dvārakā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Many famed sacred landscapes are portrayed as subordinate to the sanctity of Dvārakā, reinforcing the idea that holiness culminates in the Lord’s abode.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā is glorified; multiple other tīrthas and āśramas are listed as honoring it.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is stated; the verse functions as a māhātmya-style catalogue of revered places.