Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

उपवासपरो भूत्वा द्वादश्यां नृपसत्तम । वृषलाः पापकर्माणस्तथैवान्धपिशाचिनः

Transliteration

upavāsaparo bhūtvā dvādaśyāṃ nṛpasattama | vṛṣalāḥ pāpakarmāṇastathaivāndhapiśācinaḥ

Translation

ഹേ നൃപസത്തമാ, ദ്വാദശിയിൽ ഉപവാസപരനായി (മനുഷ്യൻ) വൃഷലന്മാരെയും പാപകർമ്മികളെയും, അതുപോലെ അന്ധപിശാചന്മാരെപ്പോലുള്ള താമസികസംഗത്തെയും ഒഴിവാക്കണം.

Word by Word

• उपवास-परः: devoted to fasting
• उपवास-परः: Karta (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘उपवासे परः’ (उपवास-निष्ठ)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — ‘having become’

• द्वादश्याम्: on the Dvādaśī (12th lunar day)
• द्वादश्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; तिथि-नाम

• नृप-सत्तम: O best of kings
• नृप-सत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; ‘नृपाणां सत्तमः’

• वृषलाः: wicked/low people
• वृषलाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural)

• पाप-कर्माणः: whose actions are sinful
• पाप-कर्माणः: Karta (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (येषां कर्म पापं ते) — ‘having sinful deeds’

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उपमान-प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) — ‘thus/so’

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• अन्ध-पिशाचिनः: blind demon-like beings (ghoulish ones)
• अन्ध-पिशाचिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + पिशाचिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (अन्धाः पिशाचिनः इव/अन्ध-स्वभावाः पिशाचिनः)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vārāha-tīrtha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpa-sattama / rājendra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A disciplined pilgrim at the Narmadā ghāṭ on dvādaśī: simple attire, controlled senses, offering water and flowers; in the background, the pilgrim turns away from rowdy/impure company, choosing a quiet sat-saṅga circle near the shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Dvādaśī (tithi)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vrata succeeds through both discipline (fasting) and saṅga-śuddhi—careful avoidance of degrading influences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instructions continue within the Vārāha Tīrtha Māhātmya at the Narmadā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observance of dvādaśī fasting, coupled with avoiding impure/sinful association during the vow.