Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

द्वादश्यां कार्त्तिके मासि दद्याद्विप्रेषु कांचनम् । विष्णुं संपूज्य विधिवन्मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः

Transliteration

dvādaśyāṃ kārttike māsi dadyādvipreṣu kāṃcanam | viṣṇuṃ saṃpūjya vidhivanmucyate sarvapātakaiḥ

Translation

Am Dvādaśī, dem zwölften Mondtag im Monat Kārttika, soll man den Brahmanen Gold geben. Hat man Viṣṇu vorschriftsgemäß verehrt, wird man von allen Sünden befreit.

Word by Word

• द्वादश्याम्: on the twelfth lunar day
• द्वादश्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th); एकवचन

• कार्त्तिके: in (the month of) Kārttika
• कार्त्तिके: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्त्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd); एकवचन

• विप्रेषु: to/among Brahmins
• विप्रेषु: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th); बहुवचन

• काञ्चनम्: gold
• काञ्चनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन

• विष्णुम्: Vishnu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• संपूज्य: having duly worshipped
• संपूज्य: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: संपूज्य (कृदन्त; सम्-√पूज् (धातु) + ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यपन्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having worshipped)

• विधिवत्: according to proper rite
• विधिवत्: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb 'according to rule')

• मुच्यते: is freed
• मुच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); आत्मनेपद; प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (is released)

• सर्व: all
• सर्व: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद)

• पातकैः: from all sins
• पातकैः: Apadana (Ablative sense via Instrumental/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd); बहुवचन; सर्व-पातकैः (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषप्रायः: 'from all sins')

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Kārttika Dvādaśī ritual: a devotee offers flowers, lamp, and tulasī to Viṣṇu; beside him a brāhmaṇa receives a small gold gift (kāñcana) with dakṣiṇā; the night sky suggests Kārttika clarity, lamps glowing in rows.

Characters & Entities

• Kārttika
• Dvādaśī
• Viṣṇu
• Brāhmaṇa
• Kāñcana (gold)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Seasonal sacred time (Kārttika) joined with charity and Viṣṇu-worship is taught as a powerful means of purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is Prabhāsa-kṣetra; this verse emphasizes the Kārttika-Dvādaśī observance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

On Kārttika Dvādaśī, give gold to brāhmaṇas and worship Viṣṇu according to prescribed rites.