Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

माघे मासि महादेवि सिते पक्षे जितेन्द्रियः । षष्ठ्यामुपोषितो भूत्वा रात्रौ तस्याग्रतः स्वपेत्

Transliteration

māghe māsi mahādevi site pakṣe jitendriyaḥ | ṣaṣṭhyāmupoṣito bhūtvā rātrau tasyāgrataḥ svapet

Translation

O große Göttin, im Monat Māgha, in der hellen Monatshälfte, nachdem man die Sinne bezwungen hat, soll man am sechsten Mondtag fasten und nachts vor Ihm (Bhāskara, der Sonne) schlafen.

Word by Word

• माघे: in (the month of) Māgha
• माघे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महादेवि: O great goddess
• महादेवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सिते: in the bright (white)
• सिते: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (पक्षे)

• पक्षे: fortnight
• पक्षे: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जितेन्द्रियः: self-controlled (having conquered the senses)
• जितेन्द्रियः: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (प्रातिपदिक; जि + क्त) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (इन्द्रियाणि जितानि येन)

• षष्ठ्याम्: on the sixth (tithi)
• षष्ठ्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्ठी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तिथि-नाम (on the sixth lunar day)

• उपोषितः: having fasted
• उपोषितः: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपवस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having fasted’

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive), ‘having become/being’

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अग्रतः: in front (of)
• अग्रतः: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• स्वपेत्: should sleep
• स्वपेत्: Kriyā (Predicate verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, giving vrata-instructions in Prabhāsa-kṣetra Māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhāskara (Warita-staskara) at Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Mahādevī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Māgha night at the seaside shrine: a restrained devotee lies/sleeps on a simple mat before Bhāskara’s sanctum; lamps flicker, priests chant softly; moonlight and sea-breeze mingle with temple glow.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādevī
• Māgha
• Bhāskara
• Sūrya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage-dharma is strengthened by self-control and disciplined observances offered to the deity with devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, at the presence of Bhāskara (Sūrya) where the vrata is to be performed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

In Māgha bright fortnight: be self-restrained, fast on Śaṣṭhī, and sleep at night before Bhāskara (temple-stay/night observance).