Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

अष्टम्यां च चतुर्दश्यां रुद्राः पूज्या विचक्षणैः । तस्मिन्क्षेत्रे विशेषेण वांछद्भिः परमं पदम्

Transliteration

aṣṭamyāṃ ca caturdaśyāṃ rudrāḥ pūjyā vicakṣaṇaiḥ | tasminkṣetre viśeṣeṇa vāṃchadbhiḥ paramaṃ padam

Translation

„Am achten und am vierzehnten Mondtag sollen die Rudras von den Einsichtigen verehrt werden—besonders in jenem heiligen Feld—von denen, die nach dem höchsten Stand verlangen.“

Word by Word

• अष्टम्याम्: on the eighth (lunar day)
• अष्टम्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• चतुर्दश्याम्: on the fourteenth (lunar day)
• चतुर्दश्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• रुद्राः: the Rudras
• रुद्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पूज्याः: are to be worshipped
• पूज्याः: Vidhyartha (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्य (कृदन्त; √पूज् धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive; ‘to be worshipped’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विचक्षणैः: by the discerning (people)
• विचक्षणैः: Karana (Agent/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• क्षेत्रे: in the field/place
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial instrumental)

• वाञ्छद्भिः: by those desiring
• वाञ्छद्भिः: Karana (Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाञ्छत् (कृदन्त; √वाञ्छ् धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पदम्: state/abode
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced from immediate narrative frame in Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night-time Aṣṭamī/Caturdaśī worship: devotees offer bilva leaves and lamps to Rudras/Śiva in the kṣetra; a luminous liṅga or Rudra forms radiate, suggesting the ‘supreme state’.

Characters & Entities

• Rudras
• Aṣṭamī
• Caturdaśī
• Parama-pada

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right-timed worship of Śaiva divine forms (Rudras) at a tīrtha is presented as a direct means toward the highest spiritual attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is situated in the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra / Amareśvara-kuṇḍa Māhātmya narrative in Nāgarakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā of the Rudras specifically on Aṣṭamī and Caturdaśī, with special emphasis on performing it in that kṣetra.