Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

महानवम्यां यस्तत्र नारी वाथ नरोपि वा । नानापूजोपचारैश्च पूजयेद्विधिवच्छुभाम्

Transliteration

mahānavamyāṃ yastatra nārī vātha naropi vā | nānāpūjopacāraiśca pūjayedvidhivacchubhām

Translation

മഹാനവമിദിനത്തിൽ അവിടെ ആരായാലും—സ്ത്രീയോ പുരുഷനോ—വിധിപൂർവ്വം നാനാവിധ പൂജോപചാരങ്ങളാൽ ആ ശുഭദേവിയെ ആരാധിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• महानवम्याम्: on the great Navamī (ninth lunar day)
• महानवम्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + नवमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (काल-अधिकरण), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महती नवमी)

• यः: whoever (he)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक-सर्वनाम

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• नारी: a woman
• नारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• अथ: and/then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/समुच्चयार्थक (then/also)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• नाना: various
• नाना: Visheshana (Modifier/विशेषणार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (various)

• पूजोपचारैः: with offerings/attendances of worship
• पूजोपचारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा + उपचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पूजायाः उपचाराः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

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

• विधिवत्: according to the prescribed rite
• विधिवत्: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधि + वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (according to rule)

• शुभाम्: the auspicious (goddess)
• शुभाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण (देवी/क्षेत्रदूतीम् इत्यादेः)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Catvarā-devī (Kṣetra-dūtī) at Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mahānavamī at Prabhāsa: devotees—women and men—stand before the auspicious Devī with trays of flowers, lamps, incense, and offerings; priests arrange upacāras; the crossroads shrine is festooned with garlands; the air is bright with dīpas and mantra-sound.

Characters & Entities

• Mahānavamī
• Devī (Catvarā-devī/Kṣetra-dūtī context)
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma in a sacred place includes timely worship; devotion is open to all, regardless of gender, when done according to proper rite.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Devī shrine connected with the catvara (crossroads) within Prabhāsa-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Mahānavamī pūjā of the Devī with multiple upacāras (offerings/services), performed vidhivat (as prescribed).