Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

पंचकाद्द्वादशी श्रेष्ठा कार्या दामोदरे जले । प्रातःस्नानं प्रकर्त्तव्यं संप्राप्ते कार्तिके जनैः

Transliteration

paṃcakāddvādaśī śreṣṭhā kāryā dāmodare jale | prātaḥsnānaṃ prakarttavyaṃ saṃprāpte kārtike janaiḥ

Translation

Unter den fünftägigen Observanzen (im Kārtika) ist Dvādaśī die vortrefflichste und soll in den Wassern Dāmodaras begangen werden. Wenn Kārtika eintritt, sollen die Menschen das morgendliche Bad vollziehen.

Word by Word

• पंचकात्: from the (Bhīṣma-)pañcaka (five-day period)
• पंचकात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पंचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/निर्गमन), एकवचन; Ablative singular

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

• श्रेष्ठा: best, most excellent
• श्रेष्ठा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; द्वादशी-विशेषण

• कार्या: to be done, should be observed
• कार्या: Vidhi (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय) → कार्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थे ‘कर्तव्या/करणीया’; Predicative adjective

• दामोदरे: in/at Dāmodara (a sacred place/name)
• दामोदरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दामोदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• जले: in water
• जले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• प्रातःस्नानम्: morning bath
• प्रातःस्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रातः (अव्यय) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; समासः—षष्ठी/अव्ययीभावसदृश-निर्देशः ‘प्रातः कृतं स्नानम्’

• प्रकर्त्तव्यम्: must be done
• प्रकर्त्तव्यम्: Vidhi (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय) → कर्तव्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कर्तव्य’ (obligatory) agreeing with प्रातःस्नानम्

• संप्राप्ते: when (it has) arrived, upon the coming of
• संप्राप्ते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + प्र + आप् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → संप्राप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative absolute-like usage with कार्तिके

• कार्तिके: in Kārttika (month)
• कार्तिके: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular (in the month of Kārttika)

• जनैः: by people
• जनैः: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dāmodara-jala / Dāmodara-tīrtha

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pre-dawn riverbank: devotees step into cool waters, offering arghya; a calendar-like emphasis on Dvādaśī; Dāmodara’s shrine nearby with lamps still burning from the night.

Characters & Entities

• Dāmodara
• Kārtika
• Dvādaśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Timing (tithi) and place (tīrtha) together intensify dharma; Kārtika morning bathing and Dvādaśī observance are exalted.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The waters of Dāmodara-tīrtha associated with Raivataka/Vastrāpathakṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observe Dvādaśī at Dāmodara’s waters and practice prātaḥsnāna throughout Kārtika.