Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 98

Devanagari script

प्रारभ्य कुतपे श्राद्धे कुर्यादारोहणं बुधः । विधिज्ञो विधिमास्थाय रोहिणं न तु लंघयेत्

Transliteration

prārabhya kutape śrāddhe kuryādārohaṇaṃ budhaḥ | vidhijño vidhimāsthāya rohiṇaṃ na tu laṃghayet

Translation

Beginnt man das Śrāddha in der Muhūrta Kutapa, so soll der Weise die «ārohaṇa» (das fortschreitende Vollziehen) des Ritus ordnungsgemäß ausführen. Wer die Vorschrift kennt und ihr folgt, soll die Muhūrta Rauhiṇa nicht überschreiten.

Word by Word

• prārabhya: having begun; starting
• prārabhya: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√rabh (रभ् धातु)
• Form: उपसर्गपूर्वक-क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); 'प्र+रभ्'—(having begun/starting)

• kutape: in the kutapa (muhūrta/time)
• kutape: Adhikarana (Location/Time locus अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kutapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th case locative); एकवचन

• śrāddhe: in/at the śrāddha rite
• śrāddhe: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• kuryāt: should do
• kuryāt: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष? (न); कर्तरि प्रयोगः; तृतीयपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन

• ārohaṇam: the ascent/commencement (ārohaṇa)
• ārohaṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārohaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• budhaḥ: a wise man
• budhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• vidhi-jñaḥ: knower of the rules
• vidhi-jñaḥ: Karta (Qualifier of subject/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/उपपद-भावः: विधिं जानाति इति); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• vidhim: the prescribed rule
• vidhim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• āsthāya: having followed; having undertaken
• āsthāya: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√sthā (स्था धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive); 'आ+स्था'—(having adhered to/undertaken)

• rohiṇam: the rauhiṇa (muhūrta)
• rohiṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rohiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; (रौहिण-मुहूर्तः)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (Contrast/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• laṃghayet: should transgress/skip
• laṃghayet: Kriya (Prohibited action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √laṅgh (लङ्घ् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); तृतीयपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A śrāddha scene at Prabhāsa: a priest and householder seated on kuśa grass, offering piṇḍa and tila-water; a sun-dial/pañcāṅga marks kutapa; the priest gestures ‘do not cross rauhiṇa’ as the rite progresses (ārohaṇa).

Characters & Entities

• Kutapa (muhūrta)
• Rauhiṇa (muhūrta)
• Śrāddha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wisdom in dharma is practical: begin and complete sacred duties within the proper auspicious window.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where Śrāddha is taught as a powerful rite when aligned with kutapa and rauhiṇa timings.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Start Śrāddha in kutapa muhūrta and do not extend beyond rauhiṇa muhūrta.