Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

तप एव महन्मर्त्यः पंचायतनपूजनम् । चातुर्मास्ये विशेषेण हरिप्रीत्या समाचरेत्

Transliteration

tapa eva mahanmartyaḥ paṃcāyatanapūjanam | cāturmāsye viśeṣeṇa hariprītyā samācaret

Translation

Für einen Sterblichen ist die Verehrung des Pañcāyatana (der fünf heiligen Altäre) an sich großes Tapas. Während Cāturmāsya soll man sie besonders üben, um Hari zu erfreuen.

Word by Word

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निश्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• महान्: great
• महान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• मर्त्यः: a mortal (man)
• मर्त्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पंचायतनपूजनम्: worship of the five shrines/deities
• पंचायतनपूजनम्: Karma/Predicate-noun (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + आयतन + पूजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd: Nominative/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पञ्चानाम् आयतनानाम् पूजनम्)

• चातुर्मास्ये: in the Cāturmāsya period (four months)
• चातुर्मास्ये: Adhikarana (Location/Time—अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्मास्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• विशेषेण: especially, in particular
• विशेषेण: Karana (Instrument/Means—करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणभावे (adverbial instrumental)

• हरिप्रीत्या: for Hari’s pleasure
• हरिप्रीत्या: Hetu/Prayojana (Cause/Purpose—हेतु/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि + प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (हरेः प्रीत्या)

• समाचरेत्: should perform, should practice
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Brahmā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pañcāyatana altar with five icons arranged around a central deity, a householder offering lamp, flowers, and water during monsoon Cāturmāsya, dedicating all to Hari.

Characters & Entities

• Pañcāyatana
• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Cāturmāsya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Structured daily worship becomes great tapas when performed with devotion and seasonal sacred intent.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is specified in this verse; it is part of the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra māhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform pañcāyatana pūjā, with special emphasis during Cāturmāsya, dedicating it to Hari.