Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

एकस्य सत्त्वयुक्तस्य वीरव्रतयुतस्य च । आश्विनस्य चतुर्दश्यां कृष्णायां द्विजसत्तमाः

Transliteration

ekasya sattvayuktasya vīravratayutasya ca | āśvinasya caturdaśyāṃ kṛṣṇāyāṃ dvijasattamāḥ

Translation

ആ ഏക ലിംഗത്തിനായി—സത്ത്വസമ്പന്നനും വീരവ്രതധാരിയും ആയ साधകൻ ആശ്വിനമാസത്തിലെ കൃഷ്ണപക്ഷ ചതുര്ദശിയിൽ, ഹേ ദ്വിജശ്രേഷ്ഠന്മാരേ—

Word by Word

• ekasya: of one (person)
• ekasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (genitive singular)

• sattva-yuktasya: of one endowed with purity/strength (sattva)
• sattva-yuktasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sattva (प्रातिपदिक) + yukta (कृदन्त; √yuj युज्, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• vīra-vrata-yutasya: of one endowed with heroic vows
• vīra-vrata-yutasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक) + vrata (प्रातिपदिक) + yukta (कृदन्त; √yuj युज्, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• āśvinasya: of (the month) Āśvina
• āśvinasya: Adhikarana (Temporal locus/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśvina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचनम्; मास-नाम (genitive: of (the month) Āśvina)

• caturdaśyām: on the fourteenth (tithi)
• caturdaśyām: Adhikarana (Temporal locus/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caturdaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचनम्; तिथि-नाम (locative: on the fourteenth lunar day)

• kṛṣṇāyām: in the dark fortnight (kṛṣṇa-pakṣa)
• kṛṣṇāyām: Adhikarana (Temporal locus/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचनम्; पक्ष-विशेषणम् (locative agreeing with caturdaśyām)

• dvija-sattamāḥ: the best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• dvija-sattamāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + sattama (प्रातिपदिक; superlative)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमासः; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचनम्; संबोधनार्थे अपि प्रयुज्यते (best of the twice-born)

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-sattamāḥ (addressed audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A disciplined sādhaka before a solitary liṅga, preparing for a night-vrata on Āśvina kṛṣṇa-caturdaśī; lamps, bilva leaves, water-pot, and a quiet shrine atmosphere.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual efficacy is linked to inner purity (sattva) and disciplined observance (vrata) aligned with sacred calendrical timing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The focus is on a preeminent liṅga within the Adhyāya 154 sacred complex; the site name is not specified in this verse alone.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observance on Āśvina kṛṣṇa caturdaśī by one undertaking vīra-vrata is indicated.