Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

चत्वारोऽपि यथा मासा गर्हणीया धरातले । सर्वकर्मसु मुख्येषु यज्ञोद्वा हादिषु द्विजाः

Transliteration

catvāro'pi yathā māsā garhaṇīyā dharātale | sarvakarmasu mukhyeṣu yajñodvā hādiṣu dvijāḥ

Translation

Ô deux-fois-nés, de même que ces quatre mois sont tenus sur terre pour particulièrement importants dans tous les rites majeurs—tels les sacrifices et les mariages—ainsi faut-il comprendre que leur observance a un grand poids.

Word by Word

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (qualifying ‘मासाः’)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also/even)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक

• मासाः: months
• मासाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• गर्हणीयाḥ: to be censured/avoided
• गर्हणीयाḥ: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्ह् (धातु) → गर्हणीय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत्/अनीयर्-अर्थक कृदन्त (gerundive: ‘to be censured’); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; विशेषण (of ‘मासाः’)

• धरातले: on the surface of the earth
• धरातले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा + तल (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धरायाः तलम्)

• सर्वकर्मसु: in all rites/actions
• सर्वकर्मसु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (सर्वाणि कर्माणि)

• मुख्येषु: principal, important
• मुख्येषु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘कर्मसु’)

• यज्ञोद्वाहादिषु: in sacrifices, marriages, and the like
• यज्ञोद्वाहादिषु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ + उद्वाह + आदि (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (यज्ञश्च उद्वाहश्च; आदयः)

• द्विजाः: Brahmins, twice-born
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator of the Tīrthamāhātmya (contextual Purāṇic narrator)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijāḥ (explicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic scene: learned dvijas are addressed about the special gravity of the four months for major rites—yajñas and marriages—set against a backdrop of ritual fires and auspicious wedding symbols.

Characters & Entities

• Dvitīyajanma (Dvāija)
• Yajña
• Udvāha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Time itself can be sacred; certain months are treated as especially dharma-charged for major rites and disciplined observances.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports the broader māhātmya framework by emphasizing the sanctity of a sacred period.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It references principal rites—yajña (sacrifice), udvāha (marriage), and similar dharmic ceremonies—implying heightened attention during these four months.