Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

कृष्णपक्षे त्रयोदश्यां तत्र तं पूजयेन्नरः । गंधपुष्पोपहारैश्च तथा बलि निवेदनैः

Transliteration

kṛṣṇapakṣe trayodaśyāṃ tatra taṃ pūjayennaraḥ | gaṃdhapuṣpopahāraiśca tathā bali nivedanaiḥ

Translation

Am Trayodaśī, dem dreizehnten Mondtag der dunklen Monatshälfte, soll der Mensch ihn dort verehren mit Duftstoffen und Blumen als Gaben und ebenso mit der Darbringung von bali (rituellen Speiseopfern).

Word by Word

• कृष्णपक्षे: in the dark fortnight
• कृष्णपक्षे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कृष्णस्य पक्षः)

• त्रयोदश्याम्: on the thirteenth lunar day
• त्रयोदश्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रयोदशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष? (न), तृतीयपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातु: पूज्

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• गन्धपुष्पोपहारैः: with offerings of fragrance and flowers
• गन्धपुष्पोपहारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + उपहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; समाहार/निर्देशार्थ तत्पुरुष-समासः (गन्ध-पूष्प-उपहारैः = with offerings of fragrance and flowers)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयवाचक (adverb: likewise)

• बलि: food offering (bali)
• बलि: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (प्रयोगेऽत्र उपपद-सम्बन्धेन)

• निवेदनैः: with presentations/offerings
• निवेदनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवेदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kṣetrapāla-sthāna (Hiraṇyā-taṭa / Hīraka-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (Devī/Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at dusk on kṛṣṇa trayodaśī offers sandal paste, flowers, and a bali plate before a fierce-guardian icon; the riverbank and boundary of the kṣetra are visible; lamps flicker in the wind.

Characters & Entities

• Kṣetrapāla
• Trayodaśī
• Kṛṣṇapakṣa
• Bali

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion becomes complete when it is timed, disciplined, and offered with sincerity—especially in holy places where dharma is ritually maintained.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kṣetrapāla shrine/seat in Prabhāsa Kṣetra (near Hiraṇyā-taṭa and Hīraka Kṣetra as described).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship on Kṛṣṇapakṣa Trayodaśī using gandha (fragrance), puṣpa (flowers), and bali-nivedana (ritual food offerings).