Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

सूर्यग्रहेऽत्र वै क्षेत्रे स्नात्वा यत्फलमश्नुते । स्नात्वा श्रीशं समभ्यर्च्य समुपोष्य यथाविधि

Transliteration

sūryagrahe'tra vai kṣetre snātvā yatphalamaśnute | snātvā śrīśaṃ samabhyarcya samupoṣya yathāvidhi

Translation

Zur Zeit einer Sonnenfinsternis: welches Verdienst man durch das Bad in diesem heiligen Feld erlangt—nachdem man hier gebadet, Śrīśa (Viṣṇu) rituell verehrt und das vorgeschriebene Fasten gehalten hat—genau diese Frucht wird zuteil.

Word by Word

• सूर्यग्रहे: at the solar eclipse
• सूर्यग्रहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य + ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सूर्यस्य ग्रहः), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (here)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• क्षेत्रे: in the sacred field/place
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त-अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• यत्: which
• यत्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• अश्नुते: obtains/enjoys
• अश्नुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त-अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund): पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• श्रीशम्: Śrīśa (Lord)
• श्रीशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• समभ्यर्च्य: having duly worshipped
• समभ्यर्च्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + अभि + अर्च् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त-अव्यय)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (absolutive): पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• समुपोष्य: having fasted
• समुपोष्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + उप + वस्/उष् (धातु: उपवस् ‘to fast’) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त-अव्यय)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (absolutive): पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• यथाविधि: according to rule
• यथाविधि: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (यथाविधि = विधिना यथा), क्रियाविशेषणम्

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice within Revākhaṇḍa; likely a Purāṇic narrator addressing a king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (Devātīrtha context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solar eclipse over the river-kṣetra: dimmed sun, pilgrims bathing, a small shrine of Śrīśa on the bank with lamps, devotees fasting with folded hands; atmosphere of solemn sacred urgency.

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya (solar eclipse)
• Śrīśa (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred time (grahaṇa) and sacred place (kṣetra) amplify merit when joined with devotion, worship, and disciplined fasting.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse points to the local kṣetra in Revākhaṇḍa, understood in this adhyāya’s context as Devatīrtha (on/near the Revā/Narmadā sacred geography).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Grahaṇa-snānā (bathing during a solar eclipse), worship of Śrīśa (Viṣṇu), and yathāvidhi upavāsa (rule-based fasting).