Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 110

Devanagari script

उपवासनियमो ग्राह्यो नद्यां स्नानं विधीयते । तदभावे तडागादौ कार्यं स्नानं स्वशक्तितः

Transliteration

upavāsaniyamo grāhyo nadyāṃ snānaṃ vidhīyate | tadabhāve taḍāgādau kāryaṃ snānaṃ svaśaktitaḥ

Translation

Man soll die Disziplin des Fastens auf sich nehmen, und das Bad im Fluss ist geboten. Ist dies nicht möglich, so soll man nach eigener Kraft in einem Teich und dergleichen baden.

Word by Word

• उपवास-नियमः: the rule of fasting
• उपवास-नियमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक) + नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (उपवासस्य नियमः)

• ग्राह्यः: should be undertaken
• ग्राह्यः: Vidhi (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (gerundive/obligatory: ‘to be adopted’)

• नद्याम्: in a river
• नद्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• विधीयते: is prescribed
• विधीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु) उपसर्ग वि-
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तदभावे: in the absence of that
• तदभावे: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तस्य अभावे)

• तडाग-आदौ: in a pond and the like
• तडाग-आदौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तडाग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तडागः आदिः यस्मिन्/यत्र) = ‘in a pond etc.’

• कार्यम्: should be done
• कार्यम्: Vidhi (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (gerundive: ‘to be done’)

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्वशक्तितः: according to one’s ability
• स्वशक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘from/according to one’s capacity’

Speaker

Sārasvata

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra tīrtha waters (river/taḍāga)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (nṛpa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim on caturdaśī undertakes upavāsa and bathes at a river; beside it, another pilgrim bathes in a temple pond (taḍāga) when the river is distant—both shown as valid, emphasizing yathāśakti.

Characters & Entities

• upavāsa
• nadī-snānā
• taḍāga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is upheld through disciplined practice, yet dharma remains compassionate—allowing alternatives according to one’s capacity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of the Vastrāpathakṣetra Māhātmya instructions within Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa, emphasizing tīrtha-style purity practices.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Adopt fasting; bathe in a river if possible, otherwise bathe in a pond or similar waterbody as feasible.