Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

गन्धर्व उवाच । कथं सोमव्रतं कार्यं विधानं तस्य कीदृशम् । कस्मिन्काले च तत्कार्यं सर्वं विस्तरतो वद

Transliteration

gandharva uvāca | kathaṃ somavrataṃ kāryaṃ vidhānaṃ tasya kīdṛśam | kasminkāle ca tatkāryaṃ sarvaṃ vistarato vada

Translation

The Gandharva said: “How is the Soma vow (of Monday) to be observed? What is its proper rite and procedure? And at what time should it be undertaken? Tell me all of it in full detail.”

Word by Word

• गन्धर्वः: Gandharva
• गन्धर्वः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Prakāra-adhikaraṇa (Manner/प्रकाराधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• सोमव्रतम्: Soma-vow (Monday vow)
• सोमव्रतम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सन्दर्भे—प्रश्नविषयत्वात् द्वितीया (object of ‘to do’)

• कार्यम्: to be performed
• कार्यम्: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (Predicative qualifier/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्-प्रत्यय; भाव्य/कर्तव्य), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अर्थः—‘कर्तव्यम्’ (to be done)

• विधानम्: procedure, rule
• विधानम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नविषय (procedure)

• तस्य: of that (vow)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कीदृशम्: of what kind?
• कीदृशम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-विशेषण (interrogative adjective)

• कस्मिन्: in which
• कस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• काले: time/period
• काले: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कार्यम्: to be done
• कार्यम्: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (Predicative qualifier/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कर्तव्यम्’

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समस्तवाचक

• विस्तरतः: in detail
• विस्तरतः: Prakāra (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विस्तरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb) — ‘विस्तरेण’ (in detail)

• वद: tell/speak
• वद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Gandharva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Somavāra-vrata (as practiced for Somēśvara at Prabhāsa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni-sattama (best of sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close-up of the Gandharva’s respectful inquiry—hands folded, eyes intent—asking for full details of the Somavāra-vrata’s method and timing; the sage prepares to expound.

Characters & Entities

• Gandharva
• Somavāra/Soma-vrata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is not merely intention; it includes correct method and timing learned through respectful questioning.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate focus is the Somavāra-vrata linked to Someshvara in Prabhāsa-kṣetra, within this māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse asks for the vidhāna (procedure) and kāla (timing) for the Somavāra/Soma-vrata.