Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

तेनापरेति नाम्ना वै ख्यातो विष्णुः पुराऽभवत् । फाल्गुनामलपक्षे तु एकादश्यां विधानतः

Transliteration

tenāpareti nāmnā vai khyāto viṣṇuḥ purā'bhavat | phālgunāmalapakṣe tu ekādaśyāṃ vidhānataḥ

Translation

Ainsi, dans les temps anciens, Viṣṇu devint célèbre sous le nom d’« Apara » ; et, au jour d’Ekādaśī de la quinzaine claire de Phālguna, le rite doit être accompli selon la règle.

Word by Word

• तेन: by that/therefore
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अपर: Apara (the ‘other’)
• अपर: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम-भाग (as part of the name)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/नामनिर्देश (quotative)

• नाम्ना: by the name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक (emphatic particle)

• ख्यातः: was known
• ख्यातः: Karta (Predicate complement/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ख्या (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अर्थः—“renowned/known”

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• फाल्गुन: of Phālguna
• फाल्गुन: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फाल्गुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; मासवाचक (month-name)

• अमलपक्षे: in the bright fortnight
• अमलपक्षे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमल (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः—“अमलः पक्षः” (bright/clear fortnight)

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोध (particle)

• एकादश्याम्: on the eleventh lunar day
• एकादश्याम्: Adhikarana (Time-location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• विधानतः: according to the prescribed procedure
• विधानतः: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) — “according to rule/prescription”

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (narrative voice within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Aparanārāyaṇa (Apara)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva explains that Viṣṇu became famed as ‘Apara’ and specifies the auspicious time: Phālguna bright fortnight Ekādaśī, with rites performed according to rule.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Phālguna
• Ekādaśī
• Apara (name/epithet)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred names and sacred dates work together in Purāṇic dharma—remembering Viṣṇu as ‘Apara’ and observing Ekādaśī aligns one with prescribed merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, where the Aparanārāyaṇa/‘Apara’ fame and observance are taught.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of an Ekādaśī observance in the bright fortnight of Phālguna, following proper injunctions (vidhi).