Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

दशम्येकादशीविद्धा द्वादशी च क्षयं गता । नक्तं तत्र प्रकुर्वीत नोपवासो विधीयते

Transliteration

daśamyekādaśīviddhā dvādaśī ca kṣayaṃ gatā | naktaṃ tatra prakurvīta nopavāso vidhīyate

Translation

Wenn der Ekādaśī vom Daśamī „durchstochen“ (viddha) ist und der Dvādaśī durch kṣaya (Ausfall) verloren geht, soll man dort nur nakta halten, also eine Mahlzeit in der Nacht; ein Vollfasten ist nicht geboten.

Word by Word

• दशमी-एकादशी-विद्धा: Ekādaśī overlapped by Daśamī
• दशमी-एकादशी-विद्धा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशमी (प्रातिपदिक) + एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक) + विद्ध (कृदन्त; √व्यध्/विध्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (दशम्या एकादशी विद्धा = Ekādaśī pierced/overlapped by Daśamī); विद्धा = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

• द्वादशी: Dvādaśī (12th lunar day)
• द्वादशी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• क्षयम्: loss/omission (kṣaya)
• क्षयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• गता: has gone/has fallen into
• गता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past active participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘having gone/entered’

• नक्तम्: at night / night-meal
• नक्तम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नक्तम् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb: at night; night-meal)

• तत्र: there/in that case
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/प्रसङ्ग-अव्यय (locative adverb: there/in that case)

• प्रकुर्वीत: should perform
• प्रकुर्वीत: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

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

• उपवासः: fasting
• उपवासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विधीयते: is prescribed/enjoined
• विधीयते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √धा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive: is enjoined)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A scholar-priest with a pañcāṅga points to overlapping tithi bars labeled Daśamī/Ekādaśī and a missing Dvādaśī; a devotee prepares a simple night meal (fruit/milk) beside a lamp, indicating nakta instead of full fast.

Characters & Entities

• Ekādaśī
• Daśamī
• Dvādaśī
• Kṣaya
• Nakta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma depends on correct timing; when tithis are defective, scripture adjusts the observance rather than forcing an improper fast.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where detailed dharma-vidhi for vows is taught as part of the kṣetra’s sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

If Ekādaśī is daśamī-viddhā and Dvādaśī is lost (kṣaya), perform nakta (eat once at night); do not undertake a full upavāsa.