Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 131

Devanagari script

ततः सोऽपि चिरं ध्यात्वा तं प्रोवाच शचीपतिम् । माघमासे सिते पक्षे पुष्यर्क्षे रविवासरे

Transliteration

tataḥ so'pi ciraṃ dhyātvā taṃ provāca śacīpatim | māghamāse site pakṣe puṣyarkṣe ravivāsare

Translation

Alors lui aussi, après une longue méditation, parla au seigneur de Śacī (Indra) : «Au mois de Māgha, durant la quinzaine claire, sous l’astérisme Puṣya, un dimanche…»

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, स्थान/कालवाचक (indeclinable adverb: ‘then/from there’)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle: ‘also/even’)

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम्; कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverbial accusative: ‘for a long time’)

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having meditated/thought’

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• प्रोवाच: said; spoke
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शचीपतिम्: Śacī’s lord (Indra)
• शचीपतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शची + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘शच्याः पतिः’)

• माघमासे: in the month of Māgha
• माघमासे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘माघस्य मासः’)

• सिते: in the bright (fortnight)
• सिते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; ‘पक्षे’ इति विशेषण

• पक्षे: in the fortnight
• पक्षे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• पुष्यर्क्षे: when the Puṣya asterism (is present)
• पुष्यर्क्षे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्य + ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘पुष्यस्य ऋक्षम्’ = पुष्य-नक्षत्र)

• रविवासरे: on Sunday
• रविवासरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि + वासर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘रवेः वासरः’)

Speaker

Jīva (guru) speaking to Indra (Śacīpati) (deduced from narrative flow)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Āghāṭa (introduced later; this verse sets its rite-time)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage-like figure, after deep meditation, addresses Śacī’s lord (Indra), indicating an auspicious time: Māgha month, bright fortnight, Puṣya star, Sunday; the atmosphere is anticipatory, ritual-planning.

Characters & Entities

• Jīva (guru)
• Indra (Śacīpati)
• Māgha
• Puṣya (nakṣatra)
• Ravivāra (Sunday)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is practiced with discernment: auspicious timing aligns human ritual with cosmic order (ṛta), strengthening sacred acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same Bālamaṇḍana/Harodbhava-liṅga locale; this verse focuses on timing rather than geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A specific muhūrta is prescribed: Māgha month, bright fortnight, Puṣya nakṣatra, Sunday.