Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

श्रुतिमद्भिश्च विप्रेंद्रैः संसिद्धैश्च तपस्विभिः । प्रतिमासं तथाष्टम्यां प्रतिमासं चतुर्दशीम्

Transliteration

śrutimadbhiśca vipreṃdraiḥ saṃsiddhaiśca tapasvibhiḥ | pratimāsaṃ tathāṣṭamyāṃ pratimāsaṃ caturdaśīm

Translation

Gelehrte Brahmanenführer, kundig in der Śruti, und vollendete Asketen verrichten die Riten Monat um Monat, besonders am Aṣṭamī, dem achten Mondtag, und am Caturdaśī, dem vierzehnten.

Word by Word

• श्रुतिमद्भिः: by the Veda-learned
• श्रुतिमद्भिः: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुतिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural); ‘श्रुति-युक्त’ (learned in Veda)

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

• विप्रेन्द्रैः: by the best of brāhmaṇas
• विप्रेन्द्रैः: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural); तत्पुरुष (श्रेष्ठ-विप्राः)

• संसिद्धैः: by the accomplished; perfected ones
• संसिद्धैः: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संसिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural)

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

• तपस्विभिः: by ascetics
• तपस्विभिः: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural)

• प्रतिमासम्: every month
• प्रतिमासम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति + मास (अव्ययीभाव-समास)
• Form: अव्यय—अव्ययीभाव (frequency adverb: ‘every month’)

• तथा: also; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (adverb: ‘also/likewise’)

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

• प्रतिमासम्: every month
• प्रतिमासम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति + मास (अव्ययीभाव-समास)
• Form: अव्यय—अव्ययीभाव (frequency adverb)

• चतुर्दशीम्: the fourteenth lunar day
• चतुर्दशीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular); तिथिवाचक; (अध्याहृत-क्रियापदेन सह—‘(सेवन्ते/उपवसन्ति) चतुर्दशीम्’)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya dialogue style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (monthly observance tradition)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Veda-knowing brāhmaṇa leaders and accomplished ascetics gather monthly at Prabhāsa, performing disciplined rites on Aṣṭamī and Caturdaśī with lamps, flowers, and recitation.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (Brāhmaṇas)
• Tapasvins (ascetics)
• Aṣṭamī
• Caturdaśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Regular sacred observance, guided by Vedic learning and tapas, intensifies the merit of a holy place through disciplined monthly practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Prabhāsa), praised as a place where monthly tithi-vratas are traditionally performed by accomplished devotees.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Monthly observance focused on Aṣṭamī (8th lunar day) and Caturdaśī (14th lunar day), implying worship/vrata practices on those tithis.