Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

चैत्रशुक्लतृतीयायां कार्या यात्रा प्रयत्नतः । महामहोत्सवः कार्यो निशि जागरणं तथा

Transliteration

caitraśuklatṛtīyāyāṃ kāryā yātrā prayatnataḥ | mahāmahotsavaḥ kāryo niśi jāgaraṇaṃ tathā

Translation

Au troisième tithi de la quinzaine claire de Caitra, qu’on accomplisse avec soin la procession de pèlerinage; qu’on célèbre une grande fête et qu’on observe aussi la veille nocturne.

Word by Word

• चैत्र-शुक्ल-तृतीयायाम्: on the third (tithi) of the bright fortnight of Caitra
• चैत्र-शुक्ल-तृतीयायाम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + तृतीया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (चैत्रस्य शुक्लपक्षस्य तृतीया)

• कार्या: should be done
• कार्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) (predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √कृ (धातु) से कार्य (कृदन्त; तव्यत्/यत्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण; ‘to be done/should be done’

• यात्रा: procession/journey (ritual outing)
• यात्रा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort, diligently
• प्रयत्नतः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) = with effort/earnestly

• महामहोत्सवः: a very great festival
• महामहोत्सवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + महोत्सव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महान् महोत्सवः)

• कार्यः: should be performed
• कार्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) (predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √कृ (धातु) से कार्य (कृदन्त; तव्यत्/यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण; ‘should be done’

• निशि: at night
• निशि: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• जागरणम्: keeping vigil
• जागरणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागरण (प्रातिपदिक; √जागृ (धातु) से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण = likewise/also

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Citraghaṇṭā-yātrā (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand procession in Kāśī on Caitra śukla tṛtīyā: palanquin or banner of Citraghaṇṭā, lamps, devotees singing; at night, a vigil with rows of dīpas along ghats.

Characters & Entities

• Caitra-śukla-tṛtīyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred time (tithi) amplifies sacred place (Kāśī); disciplined festival observance turns pilgrimage into concentrated merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, through its calendrical sacred observance on Caitra-śukla-tṛtīyā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform a yātrā (procession/pilgrimage), celebrate a mahotsava (grand festival), and keep night vigil (jāgaraṇa).