Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

सर्वकालिकमादेयं वर्णानां शुभकारकम् । नारी नरैः सदा कार्यं दृष्ट्वादृष्ट्वा फलोदयम्

Transliteration

sarvakālikamādeyaṃ varṇānāṃ śubhakārakam | nārī naraiḥ sadā kāryaṃ dṛṣṭvādṛṣṭvā phalodayam

Translation

Ce vœu peut être adopté en tout temps et apporte l’auspice à tous les ordres; femmes et hommes doivent toujours l’accomplir, car il fait naître des fruits visibles en cette vie et invisibles au-delà.

Word by Word

• सर्वकालिकम्: applicable at all times
• सर्वकालिकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + कालिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘सर्वकाले भवम्’ (valid at all times)

• आदेयम्: to be adopted/undertaken
• आदेयम्: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (Predicative qualifier/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-दा (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्-प्रत्यय; कर्तव्य/ग्रहणीय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘ग्रहणीयम्’

• वर्णानाम्: of the social classes (varṇas)
• वर्णानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural)

• शुभकारकम्: producer of auspiciousness
• शुभकारकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘शुभं करोति’

• नारी: a woman
• नारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नरैः: by/with men
• नरैः: Sahakāraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• कार्यम्: should be done
• कार्यम्: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (Predicative qualifier/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्-प्रत्यय; कर्तव्य), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (अत्र—व्रतं) ‘कर्तव्यम्’

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) — ‘दृष्ट्वा’ (having seen)

• अदृष्ट्वा: without seeing
• अदृष्ट्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + अ- (निषेध) + त्वा (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक-क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (negative gerund) — ‘अदृष्ट्वा’ (without seeing)

• फलोदयम्: the arising of results
• फलोदयम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक) + उदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘फलस्य उदयः’ (arising of fruit/result)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Somavāra-vrata (universal observance)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A broad community—women and men of varied stations—undertake Somavāra-vrata together, emphasizing inclusivity and the twofold fruit (worldly and otherworldly).

Characters & Entities

• Somavāra-vrata
• Varṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A dharmic vow practiced with sincerity benefits society broadly and brings both immediate and transcendent merit.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra is the māhātmya setting in which this universally applicable vow is praised.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

To undertake the Somavāra-vrata consistently; it is recommended for all, regardless of varṇa or gender.