Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

द्वादश्यां कार्त्तिके मासि दद्याद्विप्रेषु कांचनम् । विष्णुं संपूज्य विधिवन्मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः

Transliteration

dvādaśyāṃ kārttike māsi dadyādvipreṣu kāṃcanam | viṣṇuṃ saṃpūjya vidhivanmucyate sarvapātakaiḥ

Translation

കാർത്തിക മാസത്തിലെ ദ്വാദശിയിൽ ബ്രാഹ്മണർക്കു സ്വർണം ദാനം ചെയ്യണം। വിധിപൂർവ്വം വിഷ്ണുവിനെ സമ്പൂജിച്ചാൽ അവൻ എല്ലാ പാപങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നും മോചിതനാകും।

Word by Word

• द्वादश्याम्: on the twelfth lunar day
• द्वादश्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th); एकवचन

• कार्त्तिके: in (the month of) Kārttika
• कार्त्तिके: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्त्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd); एकवचन

• विप्रेषु: to/among Brahmins
• विप्रेषु: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th); बहुवचन

• काञ्चनम्: gold
• काञ्चनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन

• विष्णुम्: Vishnu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• संपूज्य: having duly worshipped
• संपूज्य: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: संपूज्य (कृदन्त; सम्-√पूज् (धातु) + ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यपन्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having worshipped)

• विधिवत्: according to proper rite
• विधिवत्: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb 'according to rule')

• मुच्यते: is freed
• मुच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); आत्मनेपद; प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (is released)

• सर्व: all
• सर्व: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद)

• पातकैः: from all sins
• पातकैः: Apadana (Ablative sense via Instrumental/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd); बहुवचन; सर्व-पातकैः (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषप्रायः: 'from all sins')

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Kārttika Dvādaśī ritual: a devotee offers flowers, lamp, and tulasī to Viṣṇu; beside him a brāhmaṇa receives a small gold gift (kāñcana) with dakṣiṇā; the night sky suggests Kārttika clarity, lamps glowing in rows.

Characters & Entities

• Kārttika
• Dvādaśī
• Viṣṇu
• Brāhmaṇa
• Kāñcana (gold)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Seasonal sacred time (Kārttika) joined with charity and Viṣṇu-worship is taught as a powerful means of purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is Prabhāsa-kṣetra; this verse emphasizes the Kārttika-Dvādaśī observance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

On Kārttika Dvādaśī, give gold to brāhmaṇas and worship Viṣṇu according to prescribed rites.