Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

स माघमासे शीतार्त्तः क्लिन्नजालसमन्वितः । प्रासादमारुरोहार्त्तः सूर्यतापजिघृक्षया

Transliteration

sa māghamāse śītārttaḥ klinnajālasamanvitaḥ | prāsādamārurohārttaḥ sūryatāpajighṛkṣayā

Translation

In the month of Māgha, tormented by the cold and bearing a wet net, he climbed up to the palace, distressed and yearning to catch the warmth of the sun’s heat.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• माघ-मासे: in the month of Māgha
• माघ-मासे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ (प्रातिपदिक) + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘माघस्य मासे’ (in the month of Māgha)

• शीत-आर्त्तः: afflicted by cold
• शीत-आर्त्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीत (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया/पञ्चमी-अर्थक-तत्पुरुष (causal): ‘शीतेन आर्तः’ (afflicted by cold)

• क्लिन्न-जाल-समन्वितः: covered with a wet net/cloth
• क्लिन्न-जाल-समन्वितः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्लिन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + जाल (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘क्लिन्नेन जालेन समन्वितः’ (provided/covered with wet net/cloth)

• प्रासादम्: palace, mansion
• प्रासादम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; goal of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आरुरोह: climbed up
• आरुरोह: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुह् (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• आर्त्तः: distressed, suffering
• आर्त्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (distressed)

• सूर्य-ताप-जिघृक्षया: due to desire for the sun’s warmth
• सूर्य-ताप-जिघृक्षया: Hetu (हेतु/Cause; instrumental of motive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + ताप (प्रातिपदिक) + जिघृक्षा (प्रातिपदिक; desiderative noun from √ग्रह्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘सूर्यस्य तापं जिघृक्षा’ (desire to obtain the sun’s warmth)

Speaker

Śiva (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Puṣkara (Prabhāsa-kṣetra)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In Māgha’s biting cold, the fisherman with a drenched net climbs onto the temple structure seeking sunlight’s warmth, a poignant image of hardship leading him into Śiva’s precinct.

Characters & Entities

• Māgha (month)
• Sūrya (sun)
• jāla (fishing net)
• prāsāda (palace/shrine structure)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even ordinary motives can lead one into proximity with sacred power, preparing the ground for unexpected spiritual result.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode is part of the Prabhāsa-kṣetra māhātmya framework, though the immediate scene continues around a Śaiva structure.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the reference to Māgha provides a dharmic seasonal context often associated with merit, but no vow is stated here.