Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

कूपेऽस्मिन्मोक्षनाथस्य लोकानां प्रेतमुक्तये । कार्तिकस्य तु मासस्य शुक्लपक्षे चतुर्दशी

Transliteration

kūpe'sminmokṣanāthasya lokānāṃ pretamuktaye | kārtikasya tu māsasya śuklapakṣe caturdaśī

Translation

In this well of Mokṣanātha, for the deliverance of people from the state of ‘preta’ (restless departed), the fourteenth lunar day of the bright fortnight in the month of Kārtika is especially significant.

Word by Word

• कूपे: in the well
• कूपे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मोक्षनाथस्य: of the Lord of liberation
• मोक्षनाथस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मोक्षस्य नाथः)

• लोकानाम्: of the people/worlds
• लोकानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• प्रेतमुक्तये: for the liberation of the departed
• प्रेतमुक्तये: Sampradāna (Purpose/Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रेतानां मुक्तिः)

• कार्तिकस्य: of Kārtika (month)
• कार्तिकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• तु: indeed / but
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोधसूचक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• मासस्य: of the month
• मासस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• शुक्लपक्षे: in the bright fortnight
• शुक्लपक्षे: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रयोगः (शुक्लः पक्षः)

• चतुर्दशी: the fourteenth lunar day
• चतुर्दशी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; तिथि-नाम

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa tradition)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mokṣanātha-kūpa

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha (address appears in nearby verse; dialogue frame likely continuing)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stone-lined sacred well under temple shade; pilgrims gather on Kārtika śukla caturdaśī with lamps, water-vessels, and offerings, invoking peace for departed souls.

Characters & Entities

• Mokṣanātha
• Kārtika
• Caturdaśī
• kūpa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Time (tithi/month) and place (tīrtha) combine to intensify merit, especially for rites aimed at ancestral/preter release.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The well (kūpa) of Mokṣanātha, praised for preta-mukti efficacy.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observance connected to Kārtika bright-fortnight caturdaśī at this well for the purpose of preta-release.