Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

उपवासो विनिर्द्दिष्टो विशेषाद्देवताश्रये । ब्राह्मणस्य त्वनशनं तपः परमिहोच्यते

Transliteration

upavāso vinirddiṣṭo viśeṣāddevatāśraye | brāhmaṇasya tvanaśanaṃ tapaḥ paramihocyate

Translation

ਉਪਵਾਸ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਤੌਰ ਤੇ ਦੇਵਤਾ ਦੇ ਆਸ਼੍ਰਯ-ਸਥਾਨਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਿਧਾਨ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ। ਅਤੇ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ ਲਈ ਇੱਥੇ ਪੂਰਨ ਅਨਸ਼ਨ (ਭੋਜਨ ਤੋਂ ਸੰਪੂਰਨ ਵਿਰਤੀ) ਨੂੰ ਪਰਮ ਤਪ ਕਿਹਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• उपवासः: fasting
• उपवासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विनिर्दिष्टः: prescribed, enjoined
• विनिर्दिष्टः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-निर्दिश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपवासः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• विशेषात्: especially
• विशेषात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ/विशेषेण (especially) इत्यर्थे

• देवताश्रये: in the refuge/abode of the deity
• देवताश्रये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता-आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; देवतायाः आश्रयः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• ब्राह्मणस्य: of a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• अनशनम्: complete abstention from food
• अनशनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Pradhana (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तपः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• इह: here
• इह: Desha/Kaala-adhikarana (Adverbial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: here/in this context)

• उच्यते: is said, is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic voice within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (devatā-āśraya sthāna)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a temple precinct: a brāhmaṇa devotee seated in austerity (anāśana), with japa-mālā and water pot, while priests perform simple worship; signage of ‘devatā-āśraya’ is conveyed through sanctum, dhvaja-stambha, and lamp-lit corridors.

Characters & Entities

• Devatā-śraya (temple/holy abode)
• Brāhmaṇa
• Upavāsa
• Anaśana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha/temple setting intensifies religious disciplines; fasting becomes a foremost austerity when done in the deity’s abode.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a single named site; the verse speaks of any devatā-śraya (sanctuary) within the broader Prabhāsa pilgrimage framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upavāsa at deity-abodes; specifically, anaśana (complete fasting) is praised as highest tapas for brāhmaṇas.