Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

अथवा मार्गशीर्षे च चैत्रवैशाखयोरपि । श्रावणे वा महाराज सर्वकालेऽथवापि च

Transliteration

athavā mārgaśīrṣe ca caitravaiśākhayorapi | śrāvaṇe vā mahārāja sarvakāle'thavāpi ca

Translation

അല്ലെങ്കിൽ മാർഗശീർഷത്തിൽ; അതുപോലെ ചൈത്രവും വൈശാഖവും മാസങ്ങളിലും; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ശ്രാവണത്തിൽ, ഹേ മഹാരാജാവേ—അഥവാ ഏതു കാലത്തും—ഈ പുണ്യാനുഷ്ഠാനം നടത്താം; തീർത്ഥത്തിന്റെ മഹിമ ഒരിക്കലും ക്ഷയിക്കുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• अथवा: or alternatively
• अथवा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or else)

• मार्गशीर्षे: in (the month) Mārgaśīrṣa
• मार्गशीर्षे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्गशीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; मासवाचक

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

• चैत्रवैशाखयोः: in/of (the months) Caitra and Vaiśākha
• चैत्रवैशाखयोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्र+वैशाख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (चैत्रश्च वैशाखश्च), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन; ‘-योः’ (in/of the two)

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

• श्रावणे: in (the month) Śrāvaṇa
• श्रावणे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; मासवाचक

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा+राज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् राजा), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• सर्वकाले: at all times
• सर्वकाले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व+काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सर्वेषु कालेषु), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (समष्ट्यर्थ)

• अथवा: or
• अथवा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or else)

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

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

Speaker

Śiva (deduced from Adhyāya context; later verse says “śivabhāṣitam”)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (general)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: mahārāja (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circular calendar wheel showing months (Āśvina, Mārgaśīrṣa, Caitra, Vaiśākha, Śrāvaṇa) surrounding a central river-tīrtha icon, indicating that the observance can be performed across seasons; pilgrims arrive in different weather scenes.

Characters & Entities

• Mahārāja
• Mārgaśīrṣa
• Caitra
• Vaiśākha
• Śrāvaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

While certain months are praised, sincere worship is fruitful in any season when grounded in dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The statement supports the chapter’s Māṇḍaveśvara/Māṇḍavya-Nārāyaṇa tīrtha-mahātmya, emphasizing its ever-available merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Flexibility of timing: the observance may be performed in several named months or at any time.