Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

दशम्येकादशीविद्धा द्वादशी च क्षयं गता । नक्तं तत्र प्रकुर्वीत नोपवासो विधीयते

Transliteration

daśamyekādaśīviddhā dvādaśī ca kṣayaṃ gatā | naktaṃ tatra prakurvīta nopavāso vidhīyate

Translation

ഏകാദശി ദശമിയാൽ വിദ്ധമായും ദ്വാദശി ക്ഷയമായി ലോപിച്ചാലും, അവിടെ നക്തഭോജനം മാത്രം ചെയ്യണം; പൂർണ്ണ ഉപവാസം വിധിക്കപ്പെട്ടിട്ടില്ല।

Word by Word

• दशमी-एकादशी-विद्धा: Ekādaśī overlapped by Daśamī
• दशमी-एकादशी-विद्धा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशमी (प्रातिपदिक) + एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक) + विद्ध (कृदन्त; √व्यध्/विध्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (दशम्या एकादशी विद्धा = Ekādaśī pierced/overlapped by Daśamī); विद्धा = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

• द्वादशी: Dvādaśī (12th lunar day)
• द्वादशी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• क्षयम्: loss/omission (kṣaya)
• क्षयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• गता: has gone/has fallen into
• गता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past active participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘having gone/entered’

• नक्तम्: at night / night-meal
• नक्तम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नक्तम् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb: at night; night-meal)

• तत्र: there/in that case
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/प्रसङ्ग-अव्यय (locative adverb: there/in that case)

• प्रकुर्वीत: should perform
• प्रकुर्वीत: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• उपवासः: fasting
• उपवासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विधीयते: is prescribed/enjoined
• विधीयते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √धा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive: is enjoined)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A scholar-priest with a pañcāṅga points to overlapping tithi bars labeled Daśamī/Ekādaśī and a missing Dvādaśī; a devotee prepares a simple night meal (fruit/milk) beside a lamp, indicating nakta instead of full fast.

Characters & Entities

• Ekādaśī
• Daśamī
• Dvādaśī
• Kṣaya
• Nakta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma depends on correct timing; when tithis are defective, scripture adjusts the observance rather than forcing an improper fast.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where detailed dharma-vidhi for vows is taught as part of the kṣetra’s sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

If Ekādaśī is daśamī-viddhā and Dvādaśī is lost (kṣaya), perform nakta (eat once at night); do not undertake a full upavāsa.