Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

ये पश्यंति विमानैस्ते नीयंते विष्णुमंदिरे । न गृहे कार्तिकः कार्यो विशेषाद्भीष्मपंचकम्

Transliteration

ye paśyaṃti vimānaiste nīyaṃte viṣṇumaṃdire | na gṛhe kārtikaḥ kāryo viśeṣādbhīṣmapaṃcakam

Translation

Ceux qui contemplent (cette manifestation sacrée) sont emportés sur des chars célestes jusqu’au sanctuaire de Viṣṇu. L’observance de Kārtika—surtout le Bhīṣma-pañcaka—ne doit pas être accomplie seulement à la maison (mais en ce lieu saint).

Word by Word

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (सम्बोधनार्थे/यः-तद् सम्बन्ध)

• पश्यन्ति: see
• पश्यन्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• विमानैः: by aerial chariots
• विमानैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• नीयन्ते: are led
• नीयन्ते: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

• विष्णुमन्दिरे: in Viṣṇu’s temple
• विष्णुमन्दिरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु + मन्दिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (विष्णोः मन्दिरम्)

• न: not
• न: Kriyāniṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• गृहे: in the house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• कार्तिकः: Kārtika (observance/month)
• कार्तिकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (मास/व्रतवाचक)

• कार्यः: should be done
• कार्यः: Kriyā (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कार्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: भविष्यत्कृदन्त/विधेय-विशेषण (यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘to be done/should be done’

• विशेषात्: especially
• विशेषात्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb)

• भीष्मपञ्चकम्: the Bhīṣma-pañcaka (five-day vow)
• भीष्मपञ्चकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म + पञ्चक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (भीष्मस्य पञ्चकम् / भीष्मसम्बद्धं पञ्चकं व्रतम्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra (Viṣṇu/Dāmodara darśana-sthāna)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee beholds the sacred Viṣṇu manifestation; celestial vimānas descend with radiant attendants; the scene contrasts home-based worship with a bustling tīrtha where Bhīṣma-pañcaka lamps and vows are undertaken.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Bhīṣma-pañcaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Darśana at a sanctified kṣetra yields extraordinary fruit, and vows gain greater potency when performed in the prescribed holy setting.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Vastrāpathakṣetra/Dāmodara-Raivataka sacred complex within Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa, implied by the surrounding context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Kārtika observances—particularly Bhīṣma-pañcaka—at the sacred site rather than restricting the vow to one’s home.