Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

तदा विष्णुपुरे वासः क्रियते विष्णुना सह । पञ्चोपवासाः कर्त्तव्याः संप्राप्ते भीष्मपंचके

Transliteration

tadā viṣṇupure vāsaḥ kriyate viṣṇunā saha | pañcopavāsāḥ karttavyāḥ saṃprāpte bhīṣmapaṃcake

Translation

Alors on demeure dans la cité de Viṣṇu, avec Viṣṇu lui-même. Lorsque survient le Bhīṣma-pañcaka, cinq jeûnes doivent être accomplis.

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• विष्णुपुरे: in Viṣṇu’s abode (Vaikuṇṭha)
• विष्णुपुरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘विष्णोः पुरे’

• वासः: dwelling, residence
• वासः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• क्रियते: is done/occurs (is obtained)
• क्रियते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• विष्णुना: with Viṣṇu
• विष्णुना: Sahakari (Associate/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• सह: together with
• सह: Sambandha (Association/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; उपवासाः-विशेषण; ‘five’

• उपवासाः: fasts
• उपवासाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• कर्त्तव्याः: must be observed
• कर्त्तव्याः: Vidhi (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्) → कर्तव्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Predicative ‘to be done’ agreeing with उपवासाः

• संप्राप्ते: when it has arrived
• संप्राप्ते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + प्र + आप् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → संप्राप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative (time) with भीष्मपंचके

• भीष्मपंचके: in the Bhīṣma-pañcaka period
• भीष्मपंचके: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म (प्रातिपदिक) + पंचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular; समासः—तत्पुरुषः ‘भीष्मस्य पंचकः’ (Bhīṣma-pañcaka)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhīṣma-pañcaka (Kārtika pañcaka) in Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims undertake five fasts during the Bhīṣma-pañcaka, offering lamps and prayers; above them, a visionary glimpse of Viṣṇupura—radiant city with Vaikuṇṭha-like gates—signifying the promised residence with Viṣṇu.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Viṣṇu-pura
• Bhīṣma-pañcaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sincere Kārtika disciplines culminate in proximity to Viṣṇu—symbolized as residence in Viṣṇu’s own realm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is situated in the Vastrāpathakṣetra Māhātmya (Prabhāsa region), where Kārtika vows are emphasized.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

During Bhīṣma-pañcaka, undertake pañcopavāsa—five fasts aligned to the five-day observance.