Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

अयने विषुवे युग्मे सामान्ये चार्कसंक्रमे । अमावास्याष्टकायां च कृष्णपक्षे विशेषतः

Transliteration

ayane viṣuve yugme sāmānye cārkasaṃkrame | amāvāsyāṣṭakāyāṃ ca kṛṣṇapakṣe viśeṣataḥ

Translation

अयनकाळी, विषुवकाळी, युग्म व सामान्य पर्वकाळी, तसेच सूर्यसंक्रांतीच्या वेळी; आणि विशेषतः कृष्णपक्षातील अमावास्या व अष्टका तिथींना (श्राद्ध श्रेष्ठ मानले आहे)।

Word by Word

• अयने: at the solstice (ayana)
• अयने: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• विषुवे: at the equinox
• विषुवे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• युग्मे: on paired (special) occasions
• युग्मे: Adhikarana (Time/Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• सामान्ये: in ordinary (times)
• सामान्ये: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अर्कसंक्रमे: at the sun’s transit (saṅkrānti)
• अर्कसंक्रमे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + संक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अर्कस्य संक्रमः)

• अमावास्याष्टकायाम्: on new-moon and aṣṭakā (occasion)
• अमावास्याष्टकायाम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमावास्या (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (अमावास्या+अष्टका)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कृष्णपक्षे: in the dark fortnight
• कृष्णपक्षे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समास (कृष्णः पक्षः)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (adverb: especially)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa māhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic depiction of the sun’s course: two solstice markers and an equinox balance, with a priest performing śrāddha at Prabhāsa; the dark fortnight moon is shown, highlighting Amāvāsyā and Aṣṭakā.

Characters & Entities

• Ayana
• Viṣuva
• Arka-saṃkrānti
• Amāvāsyā
• Aṣṭakā
• Kṛṣṇa-pakṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic transitions (sun’s ingress, solstices, equinoxes) are dharma-amplifying times suited for pitṛ-oriented rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching occurs in the Prabhāsa-kṣetra māhātmya, linking correct timing with tīrtha-based merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Śrāddha at ayana, viṣuva, saṃkrānti, and particularly on Amāvāsyā/Aṣṭakā in the kṛṣṇa-pakṣa.