Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

एकरात्रैस्त्रिरात्रैश्च षड्द्वादशभिरेव च । पक्षमासोपवासैश्च कर्शयन्ति कलेवरम्

Transliteration

ekarātraistrirātraiśca ṣaḍdvādaśabhireva ca | pakṣamāsopavāsaiśca karśayanti kalevaram

Translation

Durch Fasten für eine Nacht, für drei Nächte, für sechs und für zwölf, ebenso durch Halbmonats- und Monatsfasten, lassen sie den Leib in der Askese abmagern.

Word by Word

• एकरात्रैः: by one-night (fasts)
• एकरात्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka + rātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (एकः रात्रः यस्य/एकरात्रः)

• त्रिरात्रैः: by three-night (fasts)
• त्रिरात्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri + rātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रयः रात्रयः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय-बोधक conjunction)

• षट्: six
• षट्: Visheshana (Numeral qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याशब्दः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• द्वादशभिः: by twelves (twelve-day periods)
• द्वादशभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; संख्याशब्दः (twelve)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निश्चय/अवधारण particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय-bodhaka)

• पक्षमासोपवासैः: by fortnight- and month-long fasts
• पक्षमासोपवासैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pakṣa + māsa + upavāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समाहार/निर्देशार्थ बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (पक्षस्य/मासस्य उपवासाः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• कर्शयन्ति: they emaciate, make thin
• कर्शयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛś (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• कलेवरम्: the body
• कलेवरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalevara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (describing austerity practices associated with Narmadā-tīra tapas)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Narmadā (Revā)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sequence-like depiction of austerity: the devotee counting days, taking only water or minimal sustenance, body growing lean, yet face calm and luminous by resolve.

Characters & Entities

• Upavāsa (fasting)
• Narmadā context (from prior verse)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity disciplines desire and purifies intention; bodily restraint supports inner steadiness and dharmic resolve.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The immediate context is the Narmadā riverbank, presented as a fitting setting for vrata and tapas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Fasting vows of specified durations—one-night, three-night, six, twelve, fortnight-long, and month-long upavāsas.