Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 11
दिनमाना निशा ज्ञेया अहोरात्रं द्वयाद्भवेत् । तैः पंचदशभिः पक्षो द्विपक्षो मास उच्यते
dinamānā niśā jñeyā ahorātraṃ dvayādbhavet | taiḥ paṃcadaśabhiḥ pakṣo dvipakṣo māsa ucyate
يُفهَمُ أنَّ الليلَ مساوٍ للنهارِ في المقدار؛ ومن هذين الزوجين يتكوَّن «الأهوراترا» أي اليومُ والليلة. وبخمسةَ عشرَ يومًا يكون «البكشا» (نصفُ الشهر)، وببكشَين يُسمَّى الشهرُ.
Īśvara (Śiva)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: A lunar calendar tableau: half the scene in daylight, half in night; above, the moon waxing and waning across two arcs labeled śukla and kṛṣṇa pakṣa, culminating in a full month; Somnātha temple lamps glow at dusk.
FAQs
Dharma’s calendar is cosmic: day-night, fortnight, and month are sacred structures guiding observances.
Prabhāsakṣetra, where such time-knowledge is narrated as part of the kṣetra’s greatness.
No specific rite; it supports pakṣa-based vratas and monthly observances.