Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

स्निग्धं मृदुसमधुरमात्मनः श्रेय इच्छता । एवं चतुर्थे सम्प्राप्ते चतुर्थ्यङ्गारके नृप

Transliteration

snigdhaṃ mṛdusamadhuramātmanaḥ śreya icchatā | evaṃ caturthe samprāpte caturthyaṅgārake nṛpa

Translation

O König, wer sein höchstes Heil erstrebt, soll Darbringungen geben, die unctuos, zart und angenehm süß sind. So ist es, wenn der vierte Mondtag eintritt—besonders wenn Caturthī auf einen Dienstag (Aṅgāraka) fällt—die rechte Observanz.

Word by Word

• स्निग्धम्: unctuous/oily
• स्निग्धम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्निग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (भोज्यादि-विशेषण)

• मृदुसमधुरम्: soft and pleasantly sweet
• मृदुसमधुरम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृदु (प्रातिपदिक) + समधुर (प्रातिपदिक; सम् + मधुर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण; द्वन्द्व (मृदु च समधुरं च)

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• श्रेयः: welfare/benefit
• श्रेयः: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (रूपम्: श्रेयः); कर्मपद (इच्छता)

• इच्छता: by (one) desiring
• इच्छता: Karta (Agent in participial construction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु) → इच्छत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘by one who desires’

• एवम्: thus/in this manner
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (manner)

• चतुर्थे: on the fourth (day/tithi)
• चतुर्थे: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (दिने/तिथौ)

• सम्प्राप्ते: when (it) has arrived
• सम्प्राप्ते: Adhikaraṇa (Locative absolute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + प्र + आप् (धातु) → सम्प्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• चतुर्थ्यङ्गारके: on Tuesday that falls on the fourth lunar day
• चतुर्थ्यङ्गारके: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थी (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (चतुर्थ्यां अङ्गारके)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Skanda Purāṇa narrative style within Āvantya-khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A votary presents a tray of soft, glossy sweet offerings (milk sweets/jaggery confections) before a deity; a lunar calendar motif shows Caturthī, and a subtle red hue hints at Tuesday (Aṅgāraka).

Characters & Entities

• Aṅgāraka
• Caturthī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual welfare (śreyas) is supported by gentle discipline—pure, sweet offerings and timely observance on auspicious tithis.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The passage occurs in the Revā-khaṇḍa, aligned with the sacred geography of the Revā (Narmadā) region, though this verse itself focuses on vrata timing.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

On Caturthī—especially when it coincides with Tuesday (Aṅgāraka)—offer unctuous, soft, pleasantly sweet items.