Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 103

Devanagari script

अधौतपादः प्रथमं नमस्कुर्याद्गणेश्वरम् । सर्वविघ्रविनाशश्च जायते नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

adhautapādaḥ prathamaṃ namaskuryādgaṇeśvaram | sarvavighravināśaśca jāyate nātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

即便双足未洗，也应先向伽内舍瓦拉（象头神）顶礼；随后一切障碍必得摧灭，此无疑也。

Word by Word

• अधौत-पादः: one whose feet are unwashed
• अधौत-पादः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधौत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; धाव्/धौ(धातु) क्त, अ-निषेध) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्य पादाः अधौताः सः)

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative: firstly)

• नमस्कुर्यात्: should bow/salute
• नमस्कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नमस् + कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• गणेश्वरम्: Lord of the Ganas (Ganesha)
• गणेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; गण (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) इति समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्व-विघ्न-विनाशः: destruction of all obstacles
• सर्व-विघ्न-विनाशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक) + विनाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• जायते: arises/occurs
• जायते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• अत्र: here / in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb: here/in this matter)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (Dvārakā Māhātmya narrative voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṇeśvara (entrance maṅgala) in Dvārakā context

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A traveler approaches a temple gateway dusty from the road, feet unwashed, yet pauses with folded hands before a small Gaṇeśa shrine at the entrance; as the bow completes, symbolic knots/obstacles unravel and a clear path opens toward the main sanctum.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇeśvara (Gaṇeśa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Begin sacred actions with reverence to Gaṇeśa, the remover of obstacles, ensuring auspicious completion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate context is Dvārakā Māhātmya, though the verse itself highlights a general auspicious practice rather than a single tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A procedural injunction: offer the first namaskāra to Gaṇeśvara before commencing worship or pilgrimage rites.