Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

चान्द्रायणरताः केचित्केचित्पक्षोपवासिनः । मासोपवासिनः केचित्केचिदृत्वन्तपारणाः

Transliteration

cāndrāyaṇaratāḥ kecitkecitpakṣopavāsinaḥ | māsopavāsinaḥ kecitkecidṛtvantapāraṇāḥ

Translation

ചിലർ ചാന്ദ്രായണ വ്രതത്തിൽ നിരതരായിരുന്നു; ചിലർ പക്ഷോപവാസം അനുഷ്ഠിച്ചു. ചിലർ മാസോപവാസം ചെയ്തു; മറ്റുചിലർ ഋതുവിന്റെ അവസാനം മാത്രമേ പാരണ ചെയ്യുകയുണ്ടായിരുന്നുള്ളൂ.

Word by Word

• चान्द्रायणरताः: devoted to the Cāndrāyaṇa vow
• चान्द्रायणरताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चान्द्रायण + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण—चान्द्रायण-रत (devoted to the Cāndrāyaṇa observance)

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• केचित्: some (others)
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• पक्षोपवासिनः: fortnight-fasters
• पक्षोपवासिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पक्ष + उपवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण—पक्ष-उपवासिन् (fasting for a fortnight)

• मासोपवासिनः: month-long fasters
• मासोपवासिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मास + उपवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण—मास-उपवासिन् (fasting for a month)

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• केचित्: some (others)
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• ऋत्वन्तपारणाः: those who break (their fast) at season’s end
• ऋत्वन्तपारणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋतु + अन्त + पारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण—ऋतु-अन्त-पारण (breaking the fast at the end of a season)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Revā Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sequence-like tableau of ascetics marking time: one group performing Cāndrāyaṇa with measured morsels, another observing fortnight fast, another in month-long fast, and another breaking fast at season’s end—set beside the Narmadā with lunar/seasonal motifs subtly indicated.

Characters & Entities

• Cāndrāyaṇa-vrata
• Vratins/Tapasvins

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The chapter honors graded disciplines of fasting as dharma-supporting practices that intensify the sanctity of a pilgrimage landscape.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Narmadā tīrtha-region setting is praised through its association with renowned vratas practiced by ascetics there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Cāndrāyaṇa, fortnight-long fasting, month-long fasting, and breaking the fast at the end of a season (ṛtvanta-pāraṇā).