Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

त्रिष्वेतेष्वथ भुक्तेषु ततो वैषुवतीं गतिम् । प्रयाति सविता कुर्वन्नहोरात्रं च तत्समम्

Transliteration

triṣveteṣvatha bhukteṣu tato vaiṣuvatīṃ gatim | prayāti savitā kurvannahorātraṃ ca tatsamam

Translation

Lorsque ces trois signes ont été parcourus, Savitṛ atteint le mouvement équinoxial (vaiṣuvatī) et rend le jour et la nuit égaux en mesure.

Word by Word

• triṣu: in/among the three
• triṣu: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (त्रि संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• eteṣu: in these
• eteṣu: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (एतद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तर/प्रस्तावार्थ (then/now)

• bhukteṣu: when (they are) traversed/consumed
• bhukteṣu: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (भुज् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘भुक्त’, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; लोकेटिव-अब्सोल्यूट (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमार्थ (thereafter)

• vaiṣuvatīm: equinox-related (vaiṣuvatī)
• vaiṣuvatīm: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaiṣuvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (गतिम्)

• gatim: course/motion
• gatim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• prayāti: proceeds/attains
• prayāti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + yā (या धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• savitā: the Sun
• savitā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: savitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• kurvan: making/causing
• kurvan: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ahaḥ-rātram: day and night
• ahaḥ-rātram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahaḥ + rātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (day and night as a pair)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• tat-samam: equal to that (i.e., equal)
• tat-samam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad + sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘तत्समम्’ = तेन समम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/अव्ययीभावसदृश प्रयोग)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa Sūta (deduced; Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration to sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vaiṣuvata-kāla (equinox time-tīrtha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A zodiac wheel with Sūrya at the equinoctial axis; scales or symmetrical halves showing equal day and night; horizon line with identical sunlit and moonlit portions.

Characters & Entities

• Savitṛ
• Vaiṣuvata (equinox)
• Ahorātra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Equilibrium is a divine principle; the equinox symbolizes balance that dharmic life should emulate.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site; the verse explains a universal astronomical-sacral principle.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; equinoxes often serve as auspicious markers for snāna, dāna, and vrata in broader tradition.