Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

यस्तं पूजयते भक्त्या पंचम्यां तु विधानतः । न विषं क्रमते तस्य सप्त जन्मानि सर्पजम्

Transliteration

yastaṃ pūjayate bhaktyā paṃcamyāṃ tu vidhānataḥ | na viṣaṃ kramate tasya sapta janmāni sarpajam

Translation

Whoever worships Him with devotion on the fifth lunar day (pañcamī), according to proper observance, the poison born of serpents will not afflict that person for seven births.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; relative pronoun; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तम्: him/that (liṅga)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun; Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पूजयते: worships
• पूजयते: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present, Middle, 3rd person, Singular

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karaṇa (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• पञ्चम्याम्: on the fifth lunar day
• पञ्चम्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (तिथिवाचक) Feminine, Locative, Singular

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle)

• विधानतः: according to the prescribed rite
• विधानतः: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधानतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: according to rule)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• विषम्: poison
• विषम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• क्रमते: attacks/overcomes
• क्रमते: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present, Middle, 3rd person, Singular

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; genitive of relation; Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्द; बहुवचनार्थे विशेषण; indeclinable numeral used adjectivally

• जन्मानि: births (lifetimes)
• जन्मानि: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Plural (extent/duration)

• सर्पजम्: born of a serpent (snake-origin)
• सर्पजम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्प + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सर्पात् जातम्); adjective of विषम्; Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Garuḍeśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee worships the liṅga on pañcamī; Garuḍa’s presence is felt as a protective aura, while subdued nāga motifs retreat, symbolizing poison rendered powerless for seven births.

Characters & Entities

• Pañcamī (tithi)
• Serpents (sarpa)
• Garuḍeśvara (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rule-based devotion (vidhi-bhakti) at a powerful tīrtha yields protective grace that can extend across lifetimes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Garuḍeśvara (the Vainateya-established liṅga shrine) in Prabhāsakṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform pūjā on Pañcamī tithi according to proper procedure to gain protection from serpent-born poison for seven births.