Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

तृतीयायामहोरात्रं सोपवासो जितेन्द्रियः । निमन्त्रयेद्द्विजं भक्त्या सपत्नीकं सुरूपिणम्

Transliteration

tṛtīyāyāmahorātraṃ sopavāso jitendriyaḥ | nimantrayeddvijaṃ bhaktyā sapatnīkaṃ surūpiṇam

Translation

Au troisième yāma, pendant un jour et une nuit, jeûnant et maître de ses sens, qu’on invite avec dévotion un brāhmane—avec son épouse—d’une belle apparence.

Word by Word

• तृतीयायाम्: on the third (tithi/day)
• तृतीयायाम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; कालवाचक-अधिकरण

• अहोरात्रम्: for a day and night
• अहोरात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (अहश्च रात्रिश्च)

• सोपवासः: with fasting
• सोपवासः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (उपवासेन सह)

• जितेन्द्रियः: self-controlled (having conquered the senses)
• जितेन्द्रियः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (जितानि इन्द्रियाणि यस्य)

• निमन्त्रयेत्: should invite
• निमन्त्रयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + मन्त्र् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• द्विजम्: a Brahmin
• द्विजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/हेतुवाचक

• सपत्नीकम्: together with (his) wife
• सपत्नीकम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + पत्नी + क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (पत्नीया सह)

• सुरूपिणम्: handsome/pleasant-looking
• सुरूपिणम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुरूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa-sattama

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A restrained devotee seated near a riverbank shrine, fasting; a respectful invitation is extended to a dignified brāhmaṇa couple, both well-dressed and serene, approaching with acceptance.

Characters & Entities

• Dvija (Brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Auspicious outcomes are linked to discipline (fasting, sense-control) and reverent service to worthy guests, aligning personal conduct with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The rite is to be performed in the context of the previously mentioned tīrtha; this verse itself names no location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observe a day-night fast with self-restraint and invite a brāhmaṇa together with his wife for devotional hospitality.