Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

एकेन चोपवासेन उपवासाऽयुतं फलम् । जागरे शतसाहस्रं नृत्ये कोटिगुणं कलौ

Transliteration

ekena copavāsena upavāsā'yutaṃ phalam | jāgare śatasāhasraṃ nṛtye koṭiguṇaṃ kalau

Translation

In the age of Kali, the merit of a single fast equals that of ten thousand fasts; a night of vigil equals a hundred thousand; and devotional dancing becomes a crore-fold.

Word by Word

• एकेन: by one (single)
• एकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• उपवासेन: by fasting
• उपवासेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• उपवास: fasting
• उपवास: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अयुतम्: ten-thousand (times)
• अयुतम्: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); संख्यावाचक (numeral: ten-thousandfold)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• जागरे: in keeping vigil
• जागरे: Adhikarana (Sphere/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• शतसाहस्रम्: a hundred thousand (times)
• शतसाहस्रम्: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत + साहस्र (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु-समास (शतानां साहस्रम् = one hundred thousand)

• नृत्ये: in dancing
• नृत्ये: Adhikarana (Sphere/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• कोटिगुणम्: crore-fold (ten million times)
• कोटिगुणम्: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि + गुण (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कोट्या गुणः = crore-fold)

• कलौ: in the Kali age
• कलौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced from Purāṇic narration style within Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (Dvāravatī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night-long kīrtana in Dvārakā: devotees fasting, lamps and incense, cymbals and mṛdaṅga, some keeping vigil, others dancing in devotion before Kṛṣṇa’s shrine; the sea wind carries the sound.

Characters & Entities

• Kali-yuga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Kali-yuga, sincere bhakti-practices like fasting, vigil, and devotional celebration yield immense merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sets the Kali-yuga merit framework used in the Dwārakā Māhātmya, preparing for Dwārakā’s unique greatness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upavāsa (fasting), jāgaraṇa (night vigil), and devotional nṛtya (sacred dance) are praised as merit-multipliers.