Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

दर्शाष्टकासु भूतायां श्राद्धिकं प्रतिगृह्य च । प्रतिपद्यपि पूर्णायां गजोष्ट्राभ्यां कृतांतरे

Transliteration

darśāṣṭakāsu bhūtāyāṃ śrāddhikaṃ pratigṛhya ca | pratipadyapi pūrṇāyāṃ gajoṣṭrābhyāṃ kṛtāṃtare

Translation

An den Darśā- und Aṣṭakā-Tagen, am Bhūtā-Tag (unheilvoll), nachdem man Śrāddha‑Gaben angenommen hat, und auch am Pratipadā nach dem Vollmond—wenn die Zwischenzeit durch Elefanten und Kamele gestört wird—gilt dies als verbotene Zeit für das heilige Studium.

Word by Word

• दर्शाष्टकासु: on the Darśa-aṣṭakā days
• दर्शाष्टकासु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्श + अष्टका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; ‘दर्श’सम्बद्धासु ‘अष्टकासु’ (locative plural)

• भूतायाम्: when it has occurred
• भूतायाम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भू (धातु) → भूत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; भूत (past passive participle) = ‘occurred/being’

• श्राद्धिकम्: the śrāddha offering/food
• श्राद्धिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्धिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• प्रतिगृह्य: having accepted
• प्रतिगृह्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभावः; ‘having accepted/received’

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

• प्रतिपद्य: having gone/attained
• प्रतिपद्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + पद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having gone/entered/attained’

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थे (also/even)

• पूर्णायाम्: on the full (moon) day
• पूर्णायाम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘पूर्णा’ (full/complete)

• गजोष्ट्राभ्याम्: by/with an elephant and a camel
• गजोष्ट्राभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज + उष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वः = गजौ च उष्ट्रौ च (instrumental dual)

• कृतान्तरे: in a situation where an interval has been made
• कृतान्तरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘कृत-अन्तर’ = ‘made a gap/interval’ (locative)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Vedic student in Kāśī pauses recitation on a tithi-marked day; nearby a śrāddha setting with piṇḍa offerings and a quiet ghat atmosphere, indicating the shift from study to observance of restraint.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Śrāddha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Maintain reverence for Vedic learning by observing prescribed ‘non-study’ times, especially around Śrāddha and inauspicious occasions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching belongs to the Kāśī-khaṇḍa tradition, framing dharma for those living in or connected to Kāśī (Vārāṇasī).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It references Śrāddha-related offerings and indicates that certain lunar days/omens create an anadhyāya (prohibition) for recitation/study.