Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

मार्गशीर्ष तृतीयायां शुक्लायां कलशोपरि । ताम्रपात्रं निधायैकं तंडुलैः परिपूरितम्

Transliteration

mārgaśīrṣa tṛtīyāyāṃ śuklāyāṃ kalaśopari | tāmrapātraṃ nidhāyaikaṃ taṃḍulaiḥ paripūritam

Translation

Au troisième jour lunaire de la quinzaine claire de Mārgaśīrṣa, on doit poser un récipient de cuivre sur le kalaśa et le remplir entièrement de grains de riz.

Word by Word

• मार्गशीर्ष: (in the month) Mārgaśīrṣa
• मार्गशीर्ष: Adhikarana (Time-specifier/कालविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्गशीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-प्रयोगः (month-name; here used as qualifier of tṛtīyāyām)

• तृतीयायाम्: on the third (lunar day)
• तृतीयायाम्: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृतीया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

• शुक्लायाम्: in the bright (fortnight)
• शुक्लायाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of the bright fortnight)

• कलश: on the pot
• कलश: Adhikarana (Locus/आधार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• उपरि: upon
• उपरि: Adhikarana (Place/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (preposition/adverb: upon/on)

• ताम्रपात्रम्: a copper vessel
• ताम्रपात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताम्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘ताम्रं पात्रम्’)

• निधाय: having placed
• निधाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; ‘नि+धा’ (having placed)

• एकम्: one, single
• एकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तण्डुलैः: with rice grains
• तण्डुलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तण्डुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), बहुवचन

• परिपूरितम्: completely filled
• परिपूरितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-पूॄ (धातु) → परिपूरित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘परि+पूॄ’ (filled completely)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual altar: a kalaśa (pot) set as base, a copper vessel placed on top, brimming with rice grains; priest/devotee arranging items on Mārgaśīrṣa śukla tṛtīyā under lamp light.

Characters & Entities

• Mārgaśīrṣa (month)
• Śukla Tṛtīyā (tithi)
• Kalaśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred time (tithi and month) and sacred arrangement (kalaśa setup) align the devotee’s intention with cosmic order (ṛta) and dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa context situates this rite within the merit-field of Kāśī, though the verse itself focuses on timing and ritual setup.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

On Mārgaśīrṣa bright Tṛtīyā, place a copper vessel atop a kalaśa and fill it with rice (taṇḍula).