Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

एकभक्तेन नक्तेन तथैवायाचितेन च । उपवासेवन कृच्छ्रेण शाकाहारेण वा पुनः

Transliteration

ekabhaktena naktena tathaivāyācitena ca | upavāsevana kṛcchreṇa śākāhāreṇa vā punaḥ

Translation

Ob man einmal am Tag isst, oder nur nachts, oder nur Ungebetenes annimmt, oder fastet; oder wiederum strenge Askese übt oder sich von Gemüse nährt—so kann das Gelübde eingehalten werden.

Word by Word

• एकभक्तेन: with single-meal (observance)
• एकभक्तेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः ‘एकं भक्तं (एकवारं भोजनम्)’

• नक्तेन: with night-only (observance)
• नक्तेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular; ‘नक्तभोजन’ sense (night-only eating)

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (particle)

• आयाचितेन: with begged (food/means)
• आयाचितेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ + याच् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → आयाचित (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular; ‘begged/solicited (food)’ i.e., living on begged food

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

• उपवासेन: by fasting
• उपवासेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle)

• कृच्छ्रेण: by the Kṛcchra penance
• कृच्छ्रेण: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular; ‘कृच्छ्र-व्रत’ sense

• शाकाहारेण: by a vegetable diet
• शाकाहारेण: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाक (प्रातिपदिक) + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular; समासः—तत्पुरुषः ‘शाकानाम् आहारः’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• पुनः: again; alternatively
• पुनः: Sambandha (Modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim in a coastal sacred precinct adopts simple food disciplines—one meal, night meal, or fasting—while seated near a lamp and a small shrine, with attendants offering vegetables and water in humility.

Characters & Entities

• Kārtika (contextual)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is made accessible through graded disciplines—one may choose an appropriate level of restraint while keeping the vow’s intent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kārtika vow framework belongs to the Vastrāpathakṣetra Māhātmya context, tied to Dāmodara/Raivataka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Alternative vrata-food rules: one meal daily, night-meal, ayācita food, full fasting, austere kṛcchra, or a vegetable-only diet.