Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

ततः श्रद्धाप्रयुक्तेन तेन तद्भीष्मपंचकम् । यथावद्विहितं सम्यक्कार्तिके मासि संस्थिते

Transliteration

tataḥ śraddhāprayuktena tena tadbhīṣmapaṃcakam | yathāvadvihitaṃ samyakkārtike māsi saṃsthite

Translation

ثمَّ، بدافعٍ من الإيمان الصادق، أدّى على الوجه المأمور وبتمامه نذر «بهِيشما-بَنْتشَكَ» في شهر كارتِيكا حين حلَّ وقته.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Sequence/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय/तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb)

• śraddhāprayuktena: impelled by faith
• śraddhāprayuktena: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śraddhā + prayukta (√yuj, क्त) (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; श्रद्धया प्रयुक्तः इति (instrumental tatpuruṣa), विशेषणम् (qualifying tena)

• tena: by him
• tena: Kartr (Agent in passive sense/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• tat: that
• tat: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying bhīṣmapaṃcakam)

• bhīṣmapaṃcakam: the Bhīṣma five-day observance
• bhīṣmapaṃcakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhīṣma + paṃcaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भीष्मस्य पञ्चकं इति

• yathāvat: according to rule
• yathāvat: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: as prescribed)

• vihitam: was duly performed/ordained
• vihitam: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi + √dhā (धातु) → vihita (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (ordained, performed)

• samyak: properly
• samyak: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय (adverb)

• kārtike: in Kārtika
• kārtike: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārtika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• māsi: in the month
• māsi: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• saṃsthite: when (it) is situated/occurring
• saṃsthite: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam + √sthā (धातु) → saṃsthita (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (being situated/occurring)

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Implied audience of the mahatmya (not specified in excerpt)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The cowherd begins Bhīṣma-pañcaka: simple hut/pasture life juxtaposed with strict vrata—fasting, early bath, lamp offering, and prayer at the kuṇḍa.

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma-pañcaka
• Kārtika (month)
• Paśupāla (implied practitioner)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śraddhā (faith) expressed through disciplined practice is portrayed as the key that activates tīrtha merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The context remains Brahmakuṇḍa and its Kārtika-centered vrata culture.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observance of Bhīṣma-pañcaka in Kārtika, performed yathāvat (according to rule).