Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

वसंते नृत्यगीतैश्च तोषयामास पार्वतीम् । षष्ठकालाशना साध्वी सस्यदानपरा यणा

Transliteration

vasaṃte nṛtyagītaiśca toṣayāmāsa pārvatīm | ṣaṣṭhakālāśanā sādhvī sasyadānaparā yaṇā

Translation

In spring she delighted Pārvatī with dance and song. That virtuous woman ate only at the sixth period in strict restraint, and was devoted to the charitable gift of grains and produce.

Word by Word

• वसन्ते: in spring
• वसन्ते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular

• नृत्य-गीतैः: with dance and songs
• नृत्य-गीतैः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृत्य + गीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Plural; द्वन्द्व-समास (नृत्यं च गीतं च)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक — conjunction

• तोषयामास: pleased, satisfied
• तोषयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) → तोषय्
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिजन्त — Perfect, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada; causative

• पार्वतीम्: Pārvatī
• पार्वतीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• षष्ठ-काल-आशना: one who eats at the sixth time (i.e., very sparingly)
• षष्ठ-काल-आशना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्ठ + काल + आशना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठे काले आशनम् यस्याः)

• साध्वी: the virtuous woman
• साध्वी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सस्य-दान-परा: devoted to giving grain
• सस्य-दान-परा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सस्य + दान + परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (सस्यदानं परम् यस्याः)

• यणा: Yaṇā (proper name)
• यणा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Singular; (पाठभेद/नामविशेषः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In springtime, the devotee performs dance and song before Pārvatī’s shrine amid blossoms; later she gives sacks of grain in charity, maintaining strict, time-bound eating.

Characters & Entities

• Pārvatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhakti can be expressed through sacred arts, and it is strengthened by restraint and charity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter belongs to a tīrtha-māhātmya setting; the verse itself foregrounds worship-methods rather than naming the site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pleasing Pārvatī via dance and song, practicing regulated eating (ṣaṣṭhakālāśanā), and giving grain/produce as dāna.