Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

ऋते वै कार्तिकीमेकां पूजां सांवत्सरीं तव । करिष्यंति द्विजाः सर्वे सत्येनानेन ते शपे । एतद्बुद्ध्वा न कोपोस्तु हतो हन्ति न संशयः

Transliteration

ṛte vai kārtikīmekāṃ pūjāṃ sāṃvatsarīṃ tava | kariṣyaṃti dvijāḥ sarve satyenānena te śape | etadbuddhvā na kopostu hato hanti na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

“Except for the single annual worship in Kārtika, all the twice-born will not worship you. By this truth I swear to you. Knowing this, let there be no anger—one who is struck strikes back, without doubt.”

Word by Word

• ṛte: except
• ṛte: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ṛte (अव्यय)
• Form: वर्जनार्थक अव्यय — Indeclinable (except/without)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक निपात — Emphatic particle

• kārtikīm: Kārtikī (of Kārtika month)
• kārtikīm: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārtikī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular (qualifying pūjām)

• ekām: one
• ekām: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• pūjām: worship
• pūjām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• sāṃvatsarīm: annual
• sāṃvatsarīm: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāṃvatsarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular (qualifying pūjām)

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन — Genitive, Singular

• kariṣyanti: will perform
• kariṣyanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद — Future, 3rd person, Plural

• dvijāḥ: twice-born (Brahmins)
• dvijāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• sarve: all
• sarve: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural (qualifying dvijāḥ)

• satyena: by truth
• satyena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• anena: by this
• anena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन — Pronoun, Instrumental, Singular

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी, एकवचन — Dative, Singular

• śape: I swear / I vow
• śape: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śap (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद — Present, 1st person, Singular, Ātmanepada

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• buddhvā: having understood
• buddhvā: Pūrvakāla (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: budh (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (अव्ययभाव) — Absolutive/gerund (having known)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध निपात — Negation

• kopaḥ: anger
• kopaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kopa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• astu: let there be
• astu: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्-प्राय), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Imperative/benedictive sense, 3rd person, Singular

• hataḥ: one who is struck/killed
• hataḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: han (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्तान्त विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — PPP adjectival, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• hanti: kills/strikes
• hanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Present, 3rd person, Singular

• na: no/not
• na: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध निपात — Negation

• saṃśayaḥ: doubt
• saṃśayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Sāvitrī (continuation of the curse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solemn oath is spoken: brāhmaṇas with raised right hands affirm truth; a calendar marker of Kārtika (moon, lamps) is hinted; the speaker counsels restraint from anger, warning of inevitable retaliation.

Characters & Entities

• Sāvitrī
• Brahmā
• Kārtika (month)
• Dvija
• Pūjā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kārtika is elevated as a uniquely meritorious time for worship; dharma also cautions against anger and retaliation cycles.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra frames the teaching, while the verse particularly glorifies the sacred month of Kārtika as a time of worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A specific allowance is given: Brahmā may receive a single annual worship (sāṃvatsarī pūjā) during the month of Kārtika.