Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

अमावास्यां पौर्णमास्यां द्वादश्योरुभयोरपि । अयने च व्यतीपाते स्नानं वैष्णवलोकदम्

Transliteration

amāvāsyāṃ paurṇamāsyāṃ dvādaśyorubhayorapi | ayane ca vyatīpāte snānaṃ vaiṣṇavalokadam

Translation

Se baigner (là) à la nouvelle lune, à la pleine lune, à l’une ou l’autre des deux Dvādaśī, ainsi qu’aux solstices et lors de la conjonction Vyatīpāta—accorde l’accès au monde de Viṣṇu.

Word by Word

• अमावास्यां: on the new-moon day
• अमावास्यां: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमावास्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• पौर्णमास्यां: on the full-moon day
• पौर्णमास्यां: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर्णमासी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• द्वादश्योः: on the two Dvādaśī days
• द्वादश्योः: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी/षष्ठी-विभक्ति (7th Locative / 6th Genitive), द्विवचन; अत्र ‘द्वादश्योः’ = ‘on the two Dvādaśīs’ (सप्तमी-द्विवचन)

• उभयोः: of both
• उभयोः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (सामान्य), षष्ठी/सप्तमी-विभक्ति (6th/7th), द्विवचन; अत्र ‘द्वादश्योः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• अयने: at the solstice (ayana)
• अयने: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• व्यतीपाते: at Vyatīpāta (astronomical yoga)
• व्यतीपाते: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यतीपात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• वैष्णवलोकदम्: granting the Vaiṣṇava world
• वैष्णवलोकदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव + लोक + द (कृदन्त; √दा (धातु) + क)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘स्नानम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वैष्णवस्य लोकस्य दम्/दायकम्)

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced: Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarayū-snāna (Ayodhyā tīrtha)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer sages (general)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims at Sarayū ghāṭa in Ayodhyā performing dawn bath on Amāvāsyā/Pūrṇimā; priests recite mantras; Viṣṇu/Rāma iconography subtly presides; celestial light suggests Vyatīpāta and ayana transition.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Amāvāsyā
• Paurṇimā
• Dvādaśī
• Ayana
• Vyatīpāta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right time (kāla) intensifies right place (deśa): bathing at a great tīrtha on sacred lunar/astronomical dates leads toward Vaiṣṇava liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The saṅgama tīrtha of Ayodhyā discussed throughout this passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna on Amāvāsyā, Paurṇimā, Dvādaśī, during Ayana (solstice) and at Vyatīpāta, with the fruit described as Vaiṣṇava-loka attainment.