Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 88

Devanagari script

जलशायं प्रपश्यन्ति प्रत्यक्षं सुरनायकम् । पक्षोपवासं पाराकं व्रतं चान्द्रायणं शुभम्

Transliteration

jalaśāyaṃ prapaśyanti pratyakṣaṃ suranāyakam | pakṣopavāsaṃ pārākaṃ vrataṃ cāndrāyaṇaṃ śubham

Translation

إنهم يشاهدون الربّ المضطجع على الماء، قائد الآلهة (السورَة)، مشاهدةً عياناً أمام أعينهم؛ و(يمارسون) صوم النصف شهر، ونسك باراكا (Pārāka)، ونذر تشاندرايانا (Cāndrāyaṇa) المبارك.

Word by Word

• जलशायम्: the water-reclining (Lord)
• जलशायम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल + शाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘जलशायी’ इत्यर्थे ‘जलशायम्’ (the one who lies on the waters)

• प्रपश्यन्ति: behold
• प्रपश्यन्ति: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पश्य् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — ‘प्रपश्यन्ति’ (see clearly/behold)

• प्रत्यक्षम्: directly, manifest
• प्रत्यक्षम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रत्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘प्रत्यक्षम्’ (directly/manifest), ‘सुरनायकम्/जलशायम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• सुरनायकम्: leader of the gods
• सुरनायकम्: Karma (Object apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + नायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘सुराणां नायकः’ (leader of the gods)

• पक्षोपवासम्: fortnight fast
• पक्षोपवासम्: Karma (Object, listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष + उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘पक्षे उपवासः’ (fortnight-fast)

• पाराकम्: pārāka vow
• पाराकम्: Karma (Object, listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाराक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘पाराकम्’ (pārāka vow/fast)

• व्रतम्: vow
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object, listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘व्रतम्’ (vow)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय) — ‘and’

• चान्द्रायणम्: cāndrāyaṇa vow
• चान्द्रायणम्: Karma (Object, listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चान्द्रायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘चान्द्रायणम्’ (cāndrāyaṇa vow)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘शुभम्’ (auspicious), ‘चान्द्रायणम्’ इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Unspecified

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jalaśāyī-darśana (Viṣṇu) in Revā context (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visionary scene: Viṣṇu reclining on the cosmic waters (Ananta-śayana), appearing ‘before the eyes’ of pilgrims on a riverbank; nearby, ascetics/pilgrims observe fasting vows with simple water pots and prayer beads.

Characters & Entities

• Jalaśāyī (Viṣṇu)
• Suranāyaka (Lord of the gods)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred sight (darśana) and disciplined vows together refine devotion and bring divine presence into direct experience.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revākhaṇḍa tīrtha setting is implied; the verse highlights direct darśana of Jalaśāyī in that sacred locale.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observances of pakṣopavāsa (fortnight fast), Pārāka, and Cāndrāyaṇa vrata.