Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

त्रयोदश्यां तु ज्येष्ठस्य दन्तधावनपूर्वकम् । त्रिरात्रं नियमं कुर्यादुपवासस्य भामिनि

Transliteration

trayodaśyāṃ tu jyeṣṭhasya dantadhāvanapūrvakam | trirātraṃ niyamaṃ kuryādupavāsasya bhāmini

Translation

Au treizième jour lunaire de Jyeṣṭha, en commençant par se nettoyer les dents, ô belle, on doit entreprendre une observance disciplinée de trois nuits, faite de jeûne (upavāsa).

Word by Word

• त्रयोदश्याम्: on the thirteenth (tithi)
• त्रयोदश्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रयोदशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• ज्येष्ठस्य: of Jyeṣṭha
• ज्येष्ठस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (मासस्य/पक्षस्य इत्यर्थे)

• दन्तधावनपूर्वकम्: preceded by brushing the teeth
• दन्तधावनपूर्वकम्: Karma/Adverbial qualifier
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दन्त-धावन-पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक; दन्त + धावन + पूर्वक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (नियमम्/कर्म) ; तत्पुरुष-समास (दन्तधावनं पूर्वं यस्य)

• त्रिरात्रम्: for three nights
• त्रिरात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि-रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि रात्राणि)

• नियमम्: discipline/observance
• नियमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should do/observe
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• उपवासस्य: of fasting
• उपवासस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• भामिनि: O fair lady
• भामिनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भामिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A addressed woman (bhāminī) within the narrative frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim couple at Prabhāsa at dawn on trayodaśī: the devotee performs dantadhāvana and prepares for a three-night fast, with the sea/temple horizon suggesting the sacred kṣetra.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Devī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is practiced through niyama—regulated discipline—where bodily purity and restraint support sacred intent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The vow is taught within the Prabhāsa-kṣetra māhātmya, linking observance with sacred-place merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Begin on Jyeṣṭha trayodaśī with dantadhāvana (tooth cleansing) and observe a trirātra niyama of fasting (upavāsa).