Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

वैशाखे कार्त्तिके मासे विशेषनियमांश्चरेत् । स्नानं दानं तीर्थयात्रां पुराणश्रवणं मुहुः

Transliteration

vaiśākhe kārttike māse viśeṣaniyamāṃścaret | snānaṃ dānaṃ tīrthayātrāṃ purāṇaśravaṇaṃ muhuḥ

Translation

വൈശാഖവും കാർത്തികവും മാസങ്ങളിൽ പ്രത്യേക നിയമങ്ങൾ ആചരിക്കണം; ആവർത്തിച്ച് പുണ്യസ്നാനം, ദാനം, തീർത്ഥയാത്ര, പുരാണശ്രവണം എന്നിവ ചെയ്യണം।

Word by Word

• वैशाखे: in (the month of) Vaiśākha
• वैशाखे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशाख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; काल-अधिकरण

• कार्त्तिके: in (the month of) Kārttika
• कार्त्तिके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्त्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; काल-अधिकरण

• मासे: in the month
• मासे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• विशेष-नियमान्: special observances
• विशेष-नियमान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; कर्म (objects of practice)

• चरेत्: should practice/observe
• चरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक; √स्ना धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म (as an item to be done)

• दानम्: charity/giving
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक; √दा धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म

• तीर्थ-यात्राम्: pilgrimage
• तीर्थ-यात्राम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म

• पुराण-श्रवणम्: hearing/recitation of Purāṇas
• पुराण-श्रवणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक; √श्रु धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म

• मुहुः: repeatedly/often
• मुहुः: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: आवृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: repeatedly/often)

Speaker

Deductive: a Purāṇic narrator/teacher within Brahmakhaṇḍa (speaker not explicit in the snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vaiśākha–Kārttika sacred-month observance (māsa-māhātmya)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A montage-like sacred-month observance: pilgrims bathing at a river ghat at dawn, donors giving alms, a small group walking toward a temple, and a seated assembly listening to Purāṇa recitation under a pavilion.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśākha (month)
• Kārttika (month)
• Purāṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Certain sacred months amplify dharma: disciplined practice through bath, charity, pilgrimage, and Purāṇa-hearing deepens merit and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Tīrthas in general are praised; no single location is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Special monthly niyamas in Vaiśākha and Kārttika: snāna, dāna, tīrtha-yātrā, and frequent Purāṇa-śravaṇa.