Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

एतत्सारं योगिनां ध्यानरूपं भक्तिग्राह्यं श्रद्धया चिन्तयेच्च । चातुर्मास्ये जन्मकोट्यां च जातं पापं दग्ध्वा मुक्तिदः कैटभारिः

Transliteration

etatsāraṃ yogināṃ dhyānarūpaṃ bhaktigrāhyaṃ śraddhayā cintayecca | cāturmāsye janmakoṭyāṃ ca jātaṃ pāpaṃ dagdhvā muktidaḥ kaiṭabhāriḥ

Translation

C’est l’essence même : forme de méditation des yogins, saisissable par la dévotion ; qu’on la contemple avec foi. Durant la saison de Cāturmāsya, Kaiṭabhāri (Viṣṇu) consume les péchés amassés au fil de crores de naissances et accorde la délivrance.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; adjective)

• सारम्: essence
• सारम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• योगिनाम्: of yogins
• योगिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• ध्यानरूपम्: having the form of meditation
• ध्यानरूपम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्यान + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; adjective)

• भक्तिग्राह्यम्: attainable by devotion
• भक्तिग्राह्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ति + ग्राह्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; ग्रह् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘ग्राह्य’ = ग्रह् धातोः ण्यत्, ‘गृह्यते’ इति (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; gerundive/adjectival)

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन (Feminine, Instrumental, Singular)

• चिन्तयेत्: should contemplate
• चिन्तयेत्: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (Optative, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• चातुर्मास्ये: in the Cāturmāsya (four-month period/rite)
• चातुर्मास्ये: Adhikaraṇa (Time/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्मास्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन (Neuter, Locative, Singular)

• जन्मकोट्याम्: in (the span of) a crore of births
• जन्मकोट्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (Time/Extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्म + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन (Feminine, Locative, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• जातम्: arisen; produced
• जातम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्तः (क्त), ‘उत्पन्न’ इति (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; past participle)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• दग्ध्वा: having burnt (away)
• दग्ध्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘दग्ध्वा’ = ‘दहित्वा’ (having burnt)

• मुक्तिदः: giver of liberation
• मुक्तिदः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति + द (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; दा धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘द’ = दा धातोः क्विप्/ण्वुलर्थे, ‘दाता’ इति (Masculine, Nom, Singular; giver)

• कैटभारिः: the foe of Kaiṭabha (Viṣṇu)
• कैटभारिः: Karta (Subject/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैटभ + अरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (Masculine, Nom, Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Adhyāya continuity before Brahmā’s speech begins at v.43)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee-yogin seated in meditation during the rainy-season Cāturmāsya, visualizing Viṣṇu as Kaiṭabhāri; a haloed Viṣṇu burns karmic darkness like fire consuming soot, with tīrtha waters and lamps nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu (Kaiṭabhāri)
• Cāturmāsya
• Yogins

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Faithful contemplation of the mantra-essence—through yoga and devotion—purifies even ancient karmic burdens and leads to liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse emphasizes a sacred time (Cāturmāsya) more than a named location; no specific tīrtha is stated here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Contemplate (cintayet) the essence with śraddhā, especially during Cāturmāsya; implied practices include japa and dhyāna.