Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

माघे मासि महादेवि सिते पक्षे जितेन्द्रियः । षष्ठ्यामुपोषितो भूत्वा रात्रौ तस्याग्रतः स्वपेत्

Transliteration

māghe māsi mahādevi site pakṣe jitendriyaḥ | ṣaṣṭhyāmupoṣito bhūtvā rātrau tasyāgrataḥ svapet

Translation

Wahai Dewi Agung, pada bulan Māgha, dalam paruh terang, setelah menundukkan pancaindera, hendaklah seseorang berpuasa pada hari lunar keenam; dan pada malamnya tidur di hadapan-Nya (Bhāskara, Sang Surya).

Word by Word

• माघे: in (the month of) Māgha
• माघे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महादेवि: O great goddess
• महादेवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सिते: in the bright (white)
• सिते: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (पक्षे)

• पक्षे: fortnight
• पक्षे: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जितेन्द्रियः: self-controlled (having conquered the senses)
• जितेन्द्रियः: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (प्रातिपदिक; जि + क्त) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (इन्द्रियाणि जितानि येन)

• षष्ठ्याम्: on the sixth (tithi)
• षष्ठ्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्ठी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तिथि-नाम (on the sixth lunar day)

• उपोषितः: having fasted
• उपोषितः: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपवस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having fasted’

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive), ‘having become/being’

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अग्रतः: in front (of)
• अग्रतः: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• स्वपेत्: should sleep
• स्वपेत्: Kriyā (Predicate verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, giving vrata-instructions in Prabhāsa-kṣetra Māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhāskara (Warita-staskara) at Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Mahādevī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Māgha night at the seaside shrine: a restrained devotee lies/sleeps on a simple mat before Bhāskara’s sanctum; lamps flicker, priests chant softly; moonlight and sea-breeze mingle with temple glow.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādevī
• Māgha
• Bhāskara
• Sūrya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage-dharma is strengthened by self-control and disciplined observances offered to the deity with devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, at the presence of Bhāskara (Sūrya) where the vrata is to be performed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

In Māgha bright fortnight: be self-restrained, fast on Śaṣṭhī, and sleep at night before Bhāskara (temple-stay/night observance).