Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

चत्वारोऽपि यथा मासा गर्हणीया धरातले । सर्वकर्मसु मुख्येषु यज्ञोद्वा हादिषु द्विजाः

Transliteration

catvāro'pi yathā māsā garhaṇīyā dharātale | sarvakarmasu mukhyeṣu yajñodvā hādiṣu dvijāḥ

Translation

يا ذوي الولادتين، كما تُعَدّ هذه الأشهر الأربعة على الأرض بالغة الأهمية في جميع الأعمال الطقسية الكبرى—كالقرابين (اليَجْنَة) والزيجات—فكذلك ينبغي أن يُفهم أن مراعاتها ذات شأنٍ عظيم.

Word by Word

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (qualifying ‘मासाः’)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also/even)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक

• मासाः: months
• मासाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• गर्हणीयाḥ: to be censured/avoided
• गर्हणीयाḥ: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्ह् (धातु) → गर्हणीय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत्/अनीयर्-अर्थक कृदन्त (gerundive: ‘to be censured’); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; विशेषण (of ‘मासाः’)

• धरातले: on the surface of the earth
• धरातले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा + तल (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धरायाः तलम्)

• सर्वकर्मसु: in all rites/actions
• सर्वकर्मसु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (सर्वाणि कर्माणि)

• मुख्येषु: principal, important
• मुख्येषु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘कर्मसु’)

• यज्ञोद्वाहादिषु: in sacrifices, marriages, and the like
• यज्ञोद्वाहादिषु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ + उद्वाह + आदि (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (यज्ञश्च उद्वाहश्च; आदयः)

• द्विजाः: Brahmins, twice-born
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator of the Tīrthamāhātmya (contextual Purāṇic narrator)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijāḥ (explicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic scene: learned dvijas are addressed about the special gravity of the four months for major rites—yajñas and marriages—set against a backdrop of ritual fires and auspicious wedding symbols.

Characters & Entities

• Dvitīyajanma (Dvāija)
• Yajña
• Udvāha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Time itself can be sacred; certain months are treated as especially dharma-charged for major rites and disciplined observances.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports the broader māhātmya framework by emphasizing the sanctity of a sacred period.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It references principal rites—yajña (sacrifice), udvāha (marriage), and similar dharmic ceremonies—implying heightened attention during these four months.