Shloka 24

The Greatness of Śukla Tīrtha: Bathing, Fasting, Charity, and Śiva Worship

Devanagari script

कार्तिकस्य च मासस्य कृष्णपक्षे चतुर्दशी । घृतेन स्नापयेद्देवमुपोष्य परमेश्वरम्

Transliteration

kārtikasya ca māsasya kṛṣṇapakṣe caturdaśī | ghṛtena snāpayeddevamupoṣya parameśvaram

Translation

କାର୍ତ୍ତିକ ମାସର କୃଷ୍ଣପକ୍ଷ ଚତୁର୍ଦ୍ଦଶୀରେ ଉପବାସ କରି, ପରମେଶ୍ୱର ଦେବଙ୍କୁ ଘୃତରେ ସ୍ନାପନ (ଅଭିଷେକ) କରିବା ଉଚିତ।

Word by Word

• kārtikasya: of (the month) Kārtika
• kārtikasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārtika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय)

• māsasya: of the month
• māsasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• kṛṣṇa-pakṣe: in the dark fortnight
• kṛṣṇa-pakṣe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (kṛṣṇasya pakṣe)

• caturdaśī: the fourteenth lunar day
• caturdaśī: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caturdaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ghṛtena: with ghee
• ghṛtena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• snāpayet: should bathe (cause to be bathed)
• snāpayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: snā (धातु) [causative/णिच्: स्नापयति]
• Form: Causative (णिजन्त), Optative/विधिलिङ्, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada

• devam: the deity
• devam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• upoṣya: having fasted
• upoṣya: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-vas (धातु) → upoṣya (कृदन्त)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), having fasted; from उप + वस् (to dwell/fast)

• parameśvaram: the Supreme Lord
• parameśvaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय (paramaḥ īśvaraḥ) used as apposition to devam

Speaker

Unspecified (context-dependent within Svarga-khaṇḍa narrative dialogue)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Geographic Context

Type: temple

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: snāpayeddevam → snāpayet devam; devamupoṣya → devam upoṣya.

Characters & Entities

• Parameśvara

FAQs

What practice is prescribed in this verse for Kārtika month?

It prescribes fasting (upoṣya) and performing an abhiṣeka—ritually bathing the Lord—specifically with ghee on Kārtika kṛṣṇa-pakṣa caturdaśī.

Who is meant by “Parameśvara” here?

“Parameśvara” literally means “the Supreme Lord.” In Purāṇic usage it can denote Śiva or the supreme form of God depending on the surrounding chapter’s theological framing; the verse itself does not specify beyond “the Supreme Lord.”

What is the devotional or ethical emphasis of the verse?

It emphasizes disciplined devotion: self-restraint through fasting and reverent worship through ritual bathing, presenting devotion as both inner austerity and outward sacred action.