Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

वैशाखे जलकुम्भाश्च कार्त्तिके घृतदीपिकाः । माघे धान्यतिलोत्सर्गः स्वर्गलोके विशिष्यते

Transliteration

vaiśākhe jalakumbhāśca kārttike ghṛtadīpikāḥ | māghe dhānyatilotsargaḥ svargaloke viśiṣyate

Translation

في فايشاكها (Vaiśākha) يكون التفضّلُ بإهداء جرار الماء، وفي كارتيكا (Kārttika) تقديمُ مصابيح السمن (ghee)، وفي ماغها (Māgha) التصدّقُ بالحبوب والسمسم؛ فذلك كلّه عظيمُ الفضل، ويمنحُ استحقاقًا مميّزًا في العالم السماوي.

Word by Word

• वैशाखे: in Vaiśākha
• वैशाखे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशाख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; काल-अधिकरण

• जल-कुम्भाः: water-pots (pots of water)
• जल-कुम्भाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; कर्तृ/उद्देश्य-विषय (items mentioned)

• च: and
• च: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक-अव्यय (and)

• कार्त्तिके: in Kārttika
• कार्त्तिके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्त्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; काल-अधिकरण

• घृत-दीपिकाः: ghee-lamps
• घृत-दीपिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक) + दीपिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; कर्तृ/उद्देश्य-विषय

• माघे: in Māgha
• माघे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; काल-अधिकरण

• धान्य-तिल-उत्सर्गः: the donation/relinquishing of grain and sesame
• धान्य-तिल-उत्सर्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धान्य (प्रातिपदिक) + तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक; √सृज् धातु, उपसर्ग उत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्ता (the act as subject)

• स्वर्ग-लोके: in heaven
• स्वर्ग-लोके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण (sphere/result-locus)

• विशिष्यते: is especially distinguished/excels
• विशिष्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √शिष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Deductive: a Purāṇic narrator/teacher within Brahmakhaṇḍa (speaker not explicit in the snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Month-wise dāna triad (Vaiśākha kumbha-dāna; Kārttika ghṛta-dīpa-dāna; Māgha dhānya-tila-dāna)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three seasonal vignettes: (1) summer Vaiśākha—donor offering a water pot to travelers; (2) Kārttika evening—rows of ghee lamps glowing at a temple/ghāṭa; (3) Māgha—donation of grain and sesame sacks to the needy near a riverbank in cool mist.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśākha (month)
• Kārttika (month)
• Māgha (month)
• Svarga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Time-sensitive charity (kāla-viśeṣa dāna) is highly meritorious; aligning gifts with sacred months multiplies spiritual fruit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is specified; the verse praises month-based dāna practices applicable across tīrthas and temples.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vaiśākha: donate water pots; Kārttika: offer ghee lamps; Māgha: donate grains and sesame.