Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

आश्वयुक्छुक्लपक्षे तु नवम्यां नियतात्मवान् । यस्ताः पूजयते मातॄर्विधिना भावितात्मवान्

Transliteration

āśvayukchuklapakṣe tu navamyāṃ niyatātmavān | yastāḥ pūjayate mātṝrvidhinā bhāvitātmavān

Translation

ആശ്വയുജ ശുക്ലപക്ഷത്തിലെ നവമിയിൽ ആത്മനിയന്ത്രണമുള്ളവൻ, ശുദ്ധവും ഏകാഗ്രവുമായ മനസ്സോടെ വിധിപൂർവ്വം ആ മാതൃദേവികളെ പൂജിക്കുന്നുവെങ്കിൽ—

Word by Word

• āśvayuk-śukla-pakṣe: in the bright fortnight of Āśvayuja
• āśvayuk-śukla-pakṣe: Adhikarana (Time/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśvayuj (प्रातिपदिक) + śukla (प्रातिपदिक) + pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (locative), एकवचनम् (singular); तत्पुरुषः: आश्वयुजः शुक्लः पक्षः

• tu: indeed, and
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक (particle: emphasis/contrast)

• navamyām: on the ninth (lunar day)
• navamyām: Adhikarana (Time/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: navamī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः (feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (locative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• niyata-ātmavān: one whose self is disciplined
• niyata-ātmavān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niyata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √yam, past passive participle) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (nominative), एकवचनम् (singular); बहुव्रीहिः: नियत आत्मा यस्य सः

• yaḥ: who (he)
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (nominative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• tāḥ: those (feminine beings)
• tāḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः (feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (accusative), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• pūjayate: worships
• pūjayate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pūj (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular)

• mātṝḥ: the Mothers (Mātṛs)
• mātṝḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः (feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (accusative), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• vidhinā: according to rule/rite
• vidhinā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (instrumental), एकवचनम् (singular)

• bhāvita-ātmavān: one whose self is purified/imbued (with devotion)
• bhāvita-ātmavān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhāvita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √bhū/√bhāv, past passive participle) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (nominative), एकवचनम् (singular); बहुव्रीहिः: भावित आत्मा यस्य सः

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mātṛgaṇa-sthāna near Arka-sthala

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: ‘priye’ interlocutor (as addressed in v.182.4)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night-to-dawn Navamī setting: a disciplined pilgrim prepares offerings before a cluster of Mother-goddess icons; lamps, flowers, and a priestly arrangement indicate ‘vidhi’.

Characters & Entities

• Āśvayuja (month)
• Śukla Pakṣa
• Navamī
• Mātṛs (Mothers/Mātṛkās)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is strengthened when worship is performed with self-restraint, right timing, and a purified intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Mātṛgaṇa shrine-site near Arka-sthala in Prabhāsa-kṣetra (from the surrounding context).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship the Mothers on Āśvayuja Śukla Navamī, following proper ritual procedure and mental discipline.