Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

श्रुतिमद्भिश्च विप्रेंद्रैः संसिद्धैश्च तपस्विभिः । प्रतिमासं तथाष्टम्यां प्रतिमासं चतुर्दशीम्

Transliteration

śrutimadbhiśca vipreṃdraiḥ saṃsiddhaiśca tapasvibhiḥ | pratimāsaṃ tathāṣṭamyāṃ pratimāsaṃ caturdaśīm

Translation

വേദജ്ഞരായ വിപ്രേന്ദ്രന്മാരും സിദ്ധ തപസ്വികളും പ്രതിമാസം নিয়മമായി—പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് അഷ്ടമി, ചതുര്ദശി ദിവസങ്ങളിൽ—ഇവിടെ ആചാരങ്ങൾ അനുഷ്ഠിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• श्रुतिमद्भिः: by the Veda-learned
• श्रुतिमद्भिः: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुतिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural); ‘श्रुति-युक्त’ (learned in Veda)

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

• विप्रेन्द्रैः: by the best of brāhmaṇas
• विप्रेन्द्रैः: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural); तत्पुरुष (श्रेष्ठ-विप्राः)

• संसिद्धैः: by the accomplished; perfected ones
• संसिद्धैः: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संसिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural)

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

• तपस्विभिः: by ascetics
• तपस्विभिः: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural)

• प्रतिमासम्: every month
• प्रतिमासम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति + मास (अव्ययीभाव-समास)
• Form: अव्यय—अव्ययीभाव (frequency adverb: ‘every month’)

• तथा: also; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (adverb: ‘also/likewise’)

• अष्टम्याम्: on the eighth lunar day
• अष्टम्याम्: Adhikarana (Time-location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन (Feminine, Locative, Singular); तिथिवाचक

• प्रतिमासम्: every month
• प्रतिमासम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति + मास (अव्ययीभाव-समास)
• Form: अव्यय—अव्ययीभाव (frequency adverb)

• चतुर्दशीम्: the fourteenth lunar day
• चतुर्दशीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular); तिथिवाचक; (अध्याहृत-क्रियापदेन सह—‘(सेवन्ते/उपवसन्ति) चतुर्दशीम्’)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya dialogue style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (monthly observance tradition)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Veda-knowing brāhmaṇa leaders and accomplished ascetics gather monthly at Prabhāsa, performing disciplined rites on Aṣṭamī and Caturdaśī with lamps, flowers, and recitation.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (Brāhmaṇas)
• Tapasvins (ascetics)
• Aṣṭamī
• Caturdaśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Regular sacred observance, guided by Vedic learning and tapas, intensifies the merit of a holy place through disciplined monthly practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Prabhāsa), praised as a place where monthly tithi-vratas are traditionally performed by accomplished devotees.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Monthly observance focused on Aṣṭamī (8th lunar day) and Caturdaśī (14th lunar day), implying worship/vrata practices on those tithis.