Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

नक्षत्रपूजका ये च नक्षत्रव्रतचारिणः । ते वो लोके वसिष्यंति नक्षत्र सदृशप्रभाः

Transliteration

nakṣatrapūjakā ye ca nakṣatravratacāriṇaḥ | te vo loke vasiṣyaṃti nakṣatra sadṛśaprabhāḥ

Translation

നക്ഷത്രങ്ങളെ പൂജിക്കുന്നവരും നക്ഷത്രവ്രതം അനുഷ്ഠിക്കുന്നവരും—അവർ നിങ്ങളുടെ ലോകത്തിൽ വസിക്കും; നക്ഷത്രസദൃശമായ പ്രഭയോടെ ദീപ്തരാകും.

Word by Word

• नक्षत्रपूजकाः: worshippers of the Nakṣatras
• नक्षत्रपूजकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नक्षत्राणां पूजकाः)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• नक्षत्रव्रतचारिणः: observers of Nakṣatra-vows
• नक्षत्रव्रतचारिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + चारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (नक्षत्रसम्बन्धि व्रतम्, तस्य चारिणः)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• वः: for you / of you
• वः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (6th/4th), बहुवचन; एन्क्लिटिक सर्वनाम (to you/of you)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• वसिष्यन्ति: will dwell
• वसिष्यन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future/भविष्यत्काल), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• नक्षत्र: (like) a Nakṣatra/star
• नक्षत्र: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; उपमान-निर्देश (as a standard of comparison)

• सदृशप्रभाः: having star-like radiance
• सदृशप्रभाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सदृशी प्रभा यस्याः)

Speaker

Bhagavad-gaṇas (Śiva’s attendants)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nakṣatreśvara (contextual locus for nakṣatra devotion in Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees performing nakṣatra-pūjā under a starry sky—offering lamps and flowers—then shown in a celestial realm, their bodies shimmering like constellations among star-deities.

Characters & Entities

• Nakṣatras
• Vrata (vow)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Disciplined devotion (vrata) and worship refine the devotee into the likeness of what is revered—here, star-like purity and radiance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī as the narrative setting of Nakṣatreśvara; the verse highlights the fruit of nakṣatra-centered worship and vows.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nakṣatra-pūjā (worship of nakṣatras) and nakṣatra-vrata (observance of vows dedicated to nakṣatras).