Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

एवं निश्चित्य मनसा सूर्यवारेण सप्तमी । यदाऽयाता द्विजश्रेष्ठास्तदा चाष्टोत्तरं शतम्

Transliteration

evaṃ niścitya manasā sūryavāreṇa saptamī | yadā'yātā dvijaśreṣṭhāstadā cāṣṭottaraṃ śatam

Translation

So fasste er im Herzen den Entschluss: Als der siebte Mondtag (Saptamī) auf einen Sonntag fiel und die erlesensten Brāhmaṇas eintrafen, wurde das Ritual nach der heiligen Zahl einhundertacht (108) vollzogen.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (thus)

• निश्चित्य: having decided
• निश्चित्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि + चि (धातु) → निश्चित्य (क्त्वान्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (gerund/absolutive): 'having decided'

• मनसा: with (his) mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• सूर्यवारेण: on Sunday
• सूर्यवारेण: Adhikarana (Time locus/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्यवार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (सूर्यस्य वारः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Instrumental: 'on/with Sunday' i.e., by means of the day)

• सप्तमी: the seventh (tithi)
• सप्तमी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular; 'the seventh (lunar day)')

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (when)

• आयाताः: arrived
• आयाताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + या (धातु) → आयात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/कर्तरि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'having come/arrived' (used as finite sense)

• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: the best of the twice-born (Brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-तत्पुरुषप्रायः (द्विजानां श्रेष्ठाः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (then)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय

• अष्टोत्तरम्: one hundred and eight (i.e., 108)
• अष्टोत्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समासः (अष्ट अधिकं), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; शतम् इति विशेषणम्

• शतम्: a hundred (count)
• शतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative singular; object/measure)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; within Tīrthamāhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual daybreak scene: the seventh tithi marked, the sun rising, eminent brāhmaṇas arriving, and ritual items arranged in sets suggesting 108 (flowers, lamps, offerings).

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Auspicious timing (tithi and weekday) and right intention (mental resolve) are emphasized as foundations for effective religious observance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sets ritual timing within the broader Tīrthamāhātmya; the specific tīrtha is not named in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It indicates a Sunday Saptamī context and the sacred count of 108, commonly used for offerings, circumambulations, or mantra recitation.