Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

कार्त्तिकस्य तु मासस्य कृष्णपक्षे चतुर्दशीम् । घृतेन स्नापयेद्देवमुपोष्य प्रयतो नरः

Transliteration

kārttikasya tu māsasya kṛṣṇapakṣe caturdaśīm | ghṛtena snāpayeddevamupoṣya prayato naraḥ

Translation

ولكن في شهر كارتِّيكا، في اليوم القمري الرابع عشر من النصف المظلم، على الرجل المنضبط أن يصوم، وبخشوعٍ متيقّظ أن يُغسِّل الإله بالسمن المصفّى (الغي).

Word by Word

• कार्त्तिकस्य: of (the month) Kārttika
• कार्त्तिकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्त्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: indeed/and (but)
• तु: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/विरोधार्थक (emphasis/contrast)

• मासस्य: of the month
• मासस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• कृष्णपक्षे: in the dark fortnight
• कृष्णपक्षे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्णपक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• चतुर्दशीम्: the fourteenth (lunar day)
• चतुर्दशीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• घृतेन: with ghee
• घृतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (cause to be bathed)
• स्नापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• देवम्: the deity
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• उपोष्य: having fasted
• उपोष्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उपवस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• प्रयतः: disciplined, restrained
• प्रयतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रयत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A restrained devotee fasting on Kārttika kṛṣṇa-caturdaśī performs ghee-abhiṣeka to Śiva in a riverside shrine; lamps and autumnal clarity suggest Kārttika sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Kārttika
• Caturdaśī
• Deva (Śiva implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Timed observances (kāla-viśeṣa) joined with discipline and devotion are presented as powerful means of gaining sacred merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader passage is Śuklatīrtha-māhātmya in the Revā Khaṇḍa, though this verse focuses on the Kārttika observance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

On Kārttika kṛṣṇapakṣa caturdaśī: fast (upoṣa) and perform ghṛta-snāna/abhisheka of the deity.