Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

माघस्य शुक्लपक्षे तु पञ्चम्यां यादवोत्तम । एकभक्तं सदा ख्यातं षष्ठ्यां नक्तमुदाहृतम्

Transliteration

māghasya śuklapakṣe tu pañcamyāṃ yādavottama | ekabhaktaṃ sadā khyātaṃ ṣaṣṭhyāṃ naktamudāhṛtam

Translation

In the bright fortnight of Māgha, O best of the Yādavas, on the fifth day one should observe the vow called ekabhakta (a single meal); on the sixth day, the naktavrata is prescribed (taking food only at night).

Word by Word

• māghasya: of (the month) Māgha
• māghasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māgha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• śukla-pakṣe: in the bright fortnight
• śukla-pakṣe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śukla (प्रातिपदिक) + pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (शुक्लः सः पक्षः)

• tu: indeed/and
• tu: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• pañcamyām: on the fifth (tithi)
• pañcamyām: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañcamī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• yādava-uttama: O best of the Yādavas
• yādava-uttama: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yādava (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (यादवानाम् उत्तमः)

• eka-bhaktam: single-meal fast (ekabhakta)
• eka-bhaktam: Karma/Predicate nominal (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (एकं भक्तं यस्मिन्/एकभक्तम्)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• khyātam: is known/called
• khyātam: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: khyā (धातु) + ta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ṣaṣṭhyām: on the sixth (tithi)
• ṣaṣṭhyām: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṣṭhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• naktam: night-only meal/fast (naktam)
• naktam: Karma/Predicate nominal (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन

• udāhṛtam: is stated/declared
• udāhṛtam: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-ā-√hṛ (धातु) + ta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa Kṣetra (Sāṃbāditya/Sāṃbārka vrata context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yādavottama (Sāṃba addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-votary in Prabhāsa during Māgha bright fortnight: simple attire, controlled diet, preparing offerings; calendar/tithi symbolism (moon brightening) and coastal tīrtha ambience.

Characters & Entities

• Māgha
• Yādava (Sāmba)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Discipline of food and time purifies intention; regulated living becomes an offering that supports devotional focus.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, in the context of worship of Sāṃbāditya (Sūrya).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Māgha bright fortnight: pañcamī—ekabhakta (one meal); ṣaṣṭhī—naktavrata (meal at night).