Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

रक्तांबरधरो भूत्वा चतुर्थ्यामर्चयेत्तु यः । एककालं द्विकालं वा नियतो नियताशनः

Transliteration

raktāṃbaradharo bhūtvā caturthyāmarcayettu yaḥ | ekakālaṃ dvikālaṃ vā niyato niyatāśanaḥ

Translation

ചുവന്ന വസ്ത്രം ധരിച്ചു ചതുര്ഥിദിനത്തിൽ വിനായകനെ ആരാധിക്കുന്നവൻ, നിയന്ത്രിതനായി നിയന്ത്രിതാഹാരത്തോടെ ദിവസം ഒരിക്കൽ അല്ലെങ്കിൽ രണ്ടിക്കൽ ഭക്ഷണം കഴിച്ചാൽ, വാഗ്ദത്തഫലം പ്രാപിക്കാൻ യോഗ്യനാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• रक्ताम्बरधरः: one who wears red clothing
• रक्ताम्बरधरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (रक्तम् अम्बरं धरति = wearer of red garment)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund): “having become”

• चतुर्थ्याम्: on (the) Caturthī
• चतुर्थ्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (on the fourth lunar day)

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (should worship)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (relative pronoun: who)

• एककालम्: once (a day)
• एककालम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव; द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् (once a day)

• द्विकालम्: twice (a day)
• द्विकालम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव; द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् (twice a day)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)

• नियतः: disciplined
• नियतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-प्राय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (disciplined/regulated)

• नियताशनः: with regulated diet
• नियताशनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत (प्रातिपदिक) + आशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नियतं आशनं यस्य = having regulated food/diet)

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet; prescriptive vrata-instruction within the Prabhāsa māhātmya.

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Vināyaka-upāsanā within Prabhāsa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A disciplined devotee in red garments offers flowers and durvā to Vināyaka on Caturthī within the Prabhāsa sacred precinct, with lamps, conch-sounds, and pilgrims nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Vināyaka (Gaṇeśa)
• Caturthī (Gaṇeśa Caturthī/Monthly Caturthī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity joined to devotion—discipline in dress and diet—strengthens worship and makes one receptive to divine grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where this Caturthī-based Vināyaka worship is taught.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

On Caturthī, wear red garments, worship Vināyaka, and keep regulated eating—once or twice daily.