Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

पंचकाद्द्वादशी श्रेष्ठा कार्या दामोदरे जले । प्रातःस्नानं प्रकर्त्तव्यं संप्राप्ते कार्तिके जनैः

Transliteration

paṃcakāddvādaśī śreṣṭhā kāryā dāmodare jale | prātaḥsnānaṃ prakarttavyaṃ saṃprāpte kārtike janaiḥ

Translation

പഞ്ചകവ്രതങ്ങളിൽ ദ്വാദശി ശ്രേഷ്ഠം; അത് ദാമോദരജലത്തിൽ ആചരിക്കണം. കാർത്തികം വന്നാൽ ജനങ്ങൾ പ്രഭാതസ്നാനം നിർബന്ധമായി ചെയ്യണം.

Word by Word

• पंचकात्: from the (Bhīṣma-)pañcaka (five-day period)
• पंचकात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पंचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/निर्गमन), एकवचन; Ablative singular

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

• श्रेष्ठा: best, most excellent
• श्रेष्ठा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; द्वादशी-विशेषण

• कार्या: to be done, should be observed
• कार्या: Vidhi (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय) → कार्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थे ‘कर्तव्या/करणीया’; Predicative adjective

• दामोदरे: in/at Dāmodara (a sacred place/name)
• दामोदरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दामोदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• जले: in water
• जले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• प्रातःस्नानम्: morning bath
• प्रातःस्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रातः (अव्यय) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; समासः—षष्ठी/अव्ययीभावसदृश-निर्देशः ‘प्रातः कृतं स्नानम्’

• प्रकर्त्तव्यम्: must be done
• प्रकर्त्तव्यम्: Vidhi (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय) → कर्तव्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कर्तव्य’ (obligatory) agreeing with प्रातःस्नानम्

• संप्राप्ते: when (it has) arrived, upon the coming of
• संप्राप्ते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + प्र + आप् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → संप्राप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative absolute-like usage with कार्तिके

• कार्तिके: in Kārttika (month)
• कार्तिके: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular (in the month of Kārttika)

• जनैः: by people
• जनैः: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dāmodara-jala / Dāmodara-tīrtha

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pre-dawn riverbank: devotees step into cool waters, offering arghya; a calendar-like emphasis on Dvādaśī; Dāmodara’s shrine nearby with lamps still burning from the night.

Characters & Entities

• Dāmodara
• Kārtika
• Dvādaśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Timing (tithi) and place (tīrtha) together intensify dharma; Kārtika morning bathing and Dvādaśī observance are exalted.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The waters of Dāmodara-tīrtha associated with Raivataka/Vastrāpathakṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observe Dvādaśī at Dāmodara’s waters and practice prātaḥsnāna throughout Kārtika.