Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

मासोपवासं च तथा कार्तिके कुलनंदिनी । सप्तलिंगानि संपूज्य देवीपूजां सदा व्यधात्

Transliteration

māsopavāsaṃ ca tathā kārtike kulanaṃdinī | saptaliṃgāni saṃpūjya devīpūjāṃ sadā vyadhāt

Translation

وفي شهر كارتِّيكا، صامت تلك السيدة النبيلة شهرًا كاملًا؛ وبعد أن عبدت سبعة لِنْغا عبادةً تامّة، كانت تواظب دائمًا على عبادة الإلهة.

Word by Word

• मासोपवासम्: a month-long fast
• मासोपवासम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास + उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मासस्य उपवासः)

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

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'likewise/so')

• कार्तिके: in (the month of) Kārtika
• कार्तिके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; मास-नाम

• कुलनन्दिनी: the delight of the family (a noble maiden)
• कुलनन्दिनी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल + नन्दिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कुलस्य नन्दिनी)

• सप्तलिङ्गानि: seven liṅgas
• सप्तलिङ्गानि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (सप्त लिङ्गानि)

• संपूज्य: having duly worshipped
• संपूज्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Preceding action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्- + पूज् (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्यय-कृदन्त)
• Form: पूर्वकालिक-क्रियाविशेषण (absolutive/gerund), ल्यप्; 'having worshipped'

• देवीपूजाम्: worship of the Goddess
• देवीपूजाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देव्याः पूजा)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• व्यधात्: she performed/arranged
• व्यधात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: वि-

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sapta-liṅga (local cluster)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: During Kārttika, the lady performs a month-long fast, moving from shrine to shrine to worship seven liṅgas, then returns to continuous Devī worship with lamps and flowers.

Characters & Entities

• Sunandā
• Devī
• Liṅga (Śiva-liṅga)
• Kārttika (month)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kārttika discipline, combined with Śiva-liṅga worship and Devī devotion, exemplifies integrated Purāṇic dharma leading to auspicious merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A locale featuring multiple liṅgas (seven) within the Vaṭayakṣiṇī setting is highlighted as a potent worship-field.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Month-long fasting in Kārttika, worship of seven liṅgas, and continual Devī pūjā.