Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

कार्तिक्यां कृत्तिकायोगे यः कुर्यात्स्वामिदर्शनम् । सप्तजन्म भवेद्विप्रो धनाढ्यो वेदपारगः

Transliteration

kārtikyāṃ kṛttikāyoge yaḥ kuryātsvāmidarśanam | saptajanma bhavedvipro dhanāḍhyo vedapāragaḥ

Translation

കാർത്തിക മാസത്തിൽ കൃത്തികാ-യോഗത്തിൽ ഇവിടെ സ്വാമിദർശനം ചെയ്യുന്നവൻ ഏഴ് ജന്മങ്ങളോളം ബ്രാഹ്മണനായി, ധനവാനായി, വേദപാരംഗതനായി ഭവിക്കും।

Word by Word

• कार्तिक्याम्: in (the month/day) Kārtikī
• कार्तिक्याम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; Locative singular (f.)

• कृत्तिकायोगे: in the conjunction with Kṛttikā (asterism)
• कृत्तिकायोगे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्तिका (प्रातिपदिक) + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (कृत्तिकायाः योगः) Locative singular (m.)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Relative pronoun, nominative singular (m.)

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; should do

• स्वामि-दर्शनम्: the sight/vision of the Lord
• स्वामि-दर्शनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (स्वामिनः दर्शनम्) Accusative singular (n.)

• सप्त-जन्म: (of) seven births
• सप्त-जन्म: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; numeral compound used adjectivally; nominative singular (n.)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; would become

• विप्रः: a brāhmaṇa
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular (m.)

• धनाढ्यः: wealthy
• धनाढ्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक) + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (धनेन आढ्यः/धनस्य आढ्यः) nominative singular (m.)

• वेद-पारगः: versed in the Vedas
• वेद-पारगः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + पारग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (वेदस्य पारगः) nominative singular (m.)

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahāsena-kṣetra / Mahāsena-prāsāda (as implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim beholds the Lord in a radiant temple during Kārttika night; the Kṛttikā stars shimmer above, suggesting the nakṣatra-yoga; the deity’s aura implies blessings extending through seven births.

Characters & Entities

• Kārttika (month)
• Kṛttikā (nakṣatra)
• Svāmin (the presiding Lord/deity of the kṣetra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Timely darśana at a sacred site—especially in Kārttika—multiplies merit and elevates one toward learning, prosperity, and dharmic refinement.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Chapter 75 kṣetra (with the Hāṭakeśvara–Mahāsena context), where ‘svāmi-darśana’ is praised as exceptionally fruitful in Kārttika.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana (devotional visitation) specifically in Kārttika during Kṛttikā-yoga.