Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 11
दिनमाना निशा ज्ञेया अहोरात्रं द्वयाद्भवेत् । तैः पंचदशभिः पक्षो द्विपक्षो मास उच्यते
dinamānā niśā jñeyā ahorātraṃ dvayādbhavet | taiḥ paṃcadaśabhiḥ pakṣo dvipakṣo māsa ucyate
La nuit doit être comprise comme égale en mesure au jour ; de cette paire naît le jour-et-nuit complet (ahorātra). Quinze jours forment une quinzaine sacrée (pakṣa) ; et deux quinzaines sont appelées un mois.
Īśvara (Śiva)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: A lunar calendar tableau: half the scene in daylight, half in night; above, the moon waxing and waning across two arcs labeled śukla and kṛṣṇa pakṣa, culminating in a full month; Somnātha temple lamps glow at dusk.
FAQs
Dharma’s calendar is cosmic: day-night, fortnight, and month are sacred structures guiding observances.
Prabhāsakṣetra, where such time-knowledge is narrated as part of the kṣetra’s greatness.
No specific rite; it supports pakṣa-based vratas and monthly observances.