Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

उपोष्यैकादशीं भक्त्या पूजयेद्यः श्रियः पतिम् । रात्रौ जागरणं कृत्वा घृतेनोद्बोध्य दीपकम्

Transliteration

upoṣyaikādaśīṃ bhaktyā pūjayedyaḥ śriyaḥ patim | rātrau jāgaraṇaṃ kṛtvā ghṛtenodbodhya dīpakam

Translation

ഭക്തിയോടെ ഏകാദശി ഉപവസിച്ച് ശ്രീപതി (വിഷ്ണു)വിനെ പൂജിക്കുകയും, രാത്രിയിൽ ജാഗരണം ചെയ്ത് നെയ്യുകൊണ്ട് ദീപം തെളിയിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നവൻ…

Word by Word

• उपोष्य: having fasted
• उपोष्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उपवस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• एकादशीम्: the Ekādaśī (day)
• एकादशीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रियः: of Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• श्रियः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• पतिम्: lord/husband
• पतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• जागरणम्: wakefulness/vigil
• जागरणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• घृतेन: with ghee
• घृतेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• उद्बोध्य: having kindled/awakened
• उद्बोध्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + बुध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-प्रायः (Gerund/Absolutive; -य form), पूर्वक्रिया

• दीपकम्: lamp
• दीपकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीपक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Unknown (vrata instruction within Devatīrtha-oriented discourse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Devatīrtha / Revā-tīrtha context

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ekādaśī night on a riverbank shrine: devotee fasting, offering flowers to Viṣṇu, keeping vigil; a bright ghee lamp is kindled and lifted reverently; attendants chant softly.

Characters & Entities

• Ekādaśī
• Śriyaḥ Pati (Viṣṇu)
• Ghṛta-dīpa (ghee lamp)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhakti expressed through vrata—fasting, worship, vigil, and offering light—becomes a complete devotional discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate chapter context is Devatīrtha in Revākhaṇḍa, where such observances are recommended for heightened merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ekādaśī upavāsa, worship of Viṣṇu (Śriyaḥ Pati), night-long jāgaraṇa, and lighting a ghṛta-dīpa (ghee lamp).