Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

उपोषिता स्वयं तस्मिन्दिने नियममाश्रिता । जजाप परमं मंत्रमुपदिष्टं महात्मना

Transliteration

upoṣitā svayaṃ tasmindine niyamamāśritā | jajāpa paramaṃ maṃtramupadiṣṭaṃ mahātmanā

Translation

An eben jenem Tag fastete sie und nahm Zuflucht zur disziplinierten Übung der Niyama; und sie wiederholte das höchste Mantra, das ihr der großherzige Weise gelehrt hatte.

Word by Word

• उपोषिता: having fasted
• उपोषिता: Karta (subject, descriptive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप+वस् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अर्थ: 'having fasted/one who has fasted'

• स्वयम्: herself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (agent-emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'by oneself')

• तस्मिन्: on that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (location/time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्य), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (locative), एकवचन

• दिने: day
• दिने: Adhikaraṇa (time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (locative), एकवचन

• नियमम्: vow/observance
• नियमम्: Karma (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative), एकवचन

• आश्रिता: having undertaken
• आश्रिता: Karta (subject, descriptive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+श्रि (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अर्थ: 'having resorted to/undertaken'

• जजाप: she recited
• जजाप: Karta (subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (of mantra)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• मन्त्रम्: mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative), एकवचन

• उपदिष्टम्: taught/instructed
• उपदिष्टम्: Viśeṣaṇa (of mantra)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप+दिश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (मन्त्रस्य)

• महात्मना: by the great sage/person
• महात्मना: Kartr̥/Hetu (agent/instrument: 'by the great-souled one')
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महत् + आत्मन्); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A woman sits in a clean, simple space, fasting, holding a japa-mālā; a venerable sage is nearby, indicating the mantra’s guru-origin.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity (fasting) joined with disciplined mantra-japa makes devotion focused and spiritually potent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is specified; the emphasis is on inner tīrtha—purification through niyama, upavāsa, and japa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upavāsa on the ritual day, adherence to niyamas, and japa of a guru-instructed supreme mantra.