Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

द्वादश्यां रविवारेण श्रीवृक्षमर्चयन्ति ये । ब्रह्महत्यादिकैः पापैर्न लिप्यंते कृतैरपि

Transliteration

dvādaśyāṃ ravivāreṇa śrīvṛkṣamarcayanti ye | brahmahatyādikaiḥ pāpairna lipyaṃte kṛtairapi

Translation

Wer den heiligen Śrī-Baum (Tulāsī) am Dvādaśī verehrt, wenn dieser auf einen Sonntag fällt, wird selbst von Sünden wie Brahmahatyā nicht befleckt, auch wenn sie begangen wurden.

Word by Word

• द्वादश्याम्: on the Dvādaśī (12th lunar day)
• द्वादश्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कालाधिकरणम्

• रविवारेण: on Sunday
• रविवारेण: Karana (करण/समय-निर्देशक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रविवार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सहकारक/समय-निर्देश (on Sunday)

• श्रीवृक्षम्: the śrī-tree (tulasī)
• श्रीवृक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अर्चयन्ति: worship
• अर्चयन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• ब्रह्महत्यादिकैः: such as brahmahatyā (killing a brāhmaṇa), etc.
• ब्रह्महत्यादिकैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्महत्या-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंस (पापैः सह), तृतीया, बहुवचन; पापैः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पापैः: by sins
• पापैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• लिप्यन्ते: are tainted/defiled
• लिप्यन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (are tainted)

• कृतैः: committed/done
• कृतैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंस/पुं (पापैः सह), तृतीया, बहुवचन; पापैः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवादार्थक-अव्यय (even/also)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On a bright Sunday morning, a devotee worships a tulāsī vrindāvan on Dvādaśī: offering water from a small kalaśa, lighting a lamp, and placing flowers; above, the Sun’s disc shines, while a subtle aura of purification surrounds the devotee, symbolizing release from heavy sins.

Characters & Entities

• Dvādaśī
• Ravivāra (Sunday)
• Śrīvṛkṣa (Tulāsī)
• Brahmahatyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional worship on sacred timings (Dvādaśī) is presented as a powerful purifier, surpassing ordinary expiations.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The practice is taught within the Dvārakā Māhātmya context, linking merit to Dvārakā’s Vaiṣṇava sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship Tulāsī (Śrīvṛkṣa) specifically on a Sunday Dvādaśī.