Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

एकरात्रं त्रिरात्रं वा कृच्छ्रं सांतपनं तथा । मासोपवासं तच्चैव अन्यद्वा पुण्यकर्म तत्

Transliteration

ekarātraṃ trirātraṃ vā kṛcchraṃ sāṃtapanaṃ tathā | māsopavāsaṃ taccaiva anyadvā puṇyakarma tat

Translation

ഒരു രാത്രിയോ മൂന്നു രാത്രിയോ ഉപവാസം, കൃച്ഛ്രവും സാന്തപനവും പോലുള്ള പ്രായശ്ചിത്തങ്ങൾ, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ മാസോപവാസം—അഥവാ മറ്റേതെങ്കിലും പുണ്യകർമ്മം—(അവിടെ) അതിവിശുദ്ധമാകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• ekarātram: one-night (fast/observance)
• ekarātram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka + rātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (one-night observance)

• trirātram: three-night (observance)
• trirātram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri + rātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (three-night observance)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle: or)

• kṛcchram: kṛcchra penance
• kṛcchram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛcchra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कृच्छ्र-व्रतम्’ इत्यर्थे

• sāṃtapanam: sāṃtapana penance
• sāṃtapanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāṃtapana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सांतपन-व्रतम्’ इत्यर्थे

• tathā: also, likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/उपमानार्थक-अव्यय (also/likewise)

• māsopavāsam: a month-long fast
• māsopavāsam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa + upavāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (māsasya upavāsaḥ = month-long fast)

• tat: that (also)
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम; ‘एतत्’ इत्यर्थे

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle: indeed/just)

• anyat: any other (act)
• anyat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘अन्यत् (कर्म)’ = other (act)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• puṇyakarma: a meritorious deed
• puṇyakarma: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (puṇyaṃ karma = meritorious act)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम; पूर्वोक्तस्य निर्देशः

Speaker

Śiva (deduced from Mahādevī-addressed dialogue in this adhyāya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa/Viṣṇu-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Interlocutor seeking practical observances

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sequence of pilgrims: one observing a single-night fast with simple water, another in three-night restraint, an ascetic undertaking kṛcchra/sāṃtapana with measured intake, and a long-term votary in month-fast—each within the sacred precinct, suggesting graded paths to merit.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛcchra
• Sāṃtapana
• Upavāsa
• Vrata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma-actions and penances gain heightened sanctity when performed in a great tīrtha-kṣetra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra (contextual kṣetra) where vows and penances are especially fruitful.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Fasts of one or three nights, Kṛcchra and Sāṃtapana penances, and māsopavāsa (month-long fast).