Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

सोऽपि देवीवचः श्रुत्वा मेने साहाय्यकारणम् । ततः कृष्णचतुर्दश्यामुपोष्य विजयः शुचिः

Transliteration

so'pi devīvacaḥ śrutvā mene sāhāyyakāraṇam | tataḥ kṛṣṇacaturdaśyāmupoṣya vijayaḥ śuciḥ

Translation

Auch er, als er die Worte der Göttin hörte, erkannte, dass er zum Anlass der Hilfe bestimmt war. Dann, am vierzehnten Mondtag der dunklen Monatshälfte, nahm der geläuterte Vijaya das Fasten (Upavāsa) auf sich.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also)

• देवी: of the goddess
• देवी: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• वचः: the goddess's words
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समास: देवी-वचस् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive), श्रु (to hear)

• मेने: considered/thought
• मेने: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: मन् (to think/consider)

• साहाय्य: of help
• साहाय्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साहाय्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• कारणम्: cause/reason
• कारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समास: साहाय्य-कारण (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमवाचक (then)

• कृष्ण: dark (fortnight)
• कृष्ण: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद; पक्षविशेषण)

• चतुर्दश्याम्: on the fourteenth (tithi) of the dark fortnight
• चतुर्दश्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समास: कृष्ण-चतुर्दशी (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष)

• उपोष्य: having fasted
• उपोष्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-वास् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive), उप-वास् (to fast)

• विजयः: Vijaya
• विजयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• शुचिः: pure/clean
• शुचिः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; 'विजयः' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Siddhamātā-kshetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The helper acknowledges the Devī’s command; Vijaya, purified, begins a solemn fast on the dark fortnight’s fourteenth day—simple attire, controlled senses, prayerful posture.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Kṛṣṇa-caturdaśī (dark fortnight 14th)
• Vijaya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Auspicious timing and purity strengthen spiritual disciplines; fasting refines the practitioner for siddhi.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The practice unfolds within the Kāśī devotional setting connected to Siddhamātā and the Devīs’ command.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observance of upavāsa (fasting) on Kṛṣṇa-caturdaśī as part of the sādhana regimen.