Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

महेश्वर उवाच । प्रतिपक्षे चतुर्थ्यां तु पूजनीयो गणाधिपः । स्नात्वा शुक्लतिलैः शुद्धैः शुक्लपक्षे सदा नृभिः

Transliteration

maheśvara uvāca | pratipakṣe caturthyāṃ tu pūjanīyo gaṇādhipaḥ | snātvā śuklatilaiḥ śuddhaiḥ śuklapakṣe sadā nṛbhiḥ

Translation

Махешвара сказал: «В чатуртхи тёмной половины месяца следует почитать Ганадхипу. Омовившись, люди должны также всегда совершать поклонение в светлой половине, принося чистый белый кунжут».

Word by Word

• महेश्वरः: Maheshvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रतिपक्षे: in the dark fortnight (kṛṣṇa-pakṣa)
• प्रतिपक्षे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिपक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• चतुर्थ्याम्: on the fourth lunar day (caturthī)
• चतुर्थ्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/and (emphatic)
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• पूजनीयः: to be worshipped, worthy of worship
• पूजनीयः: Vidhaya (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूजनीय (कृदन्त; पूज् धातु + अनीय)
• Form: कृदन्त-विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय (predicative)

• गणाधिपः: lord of the gaṇas (Gaṇeśa)
• गणाधिपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गणानाम् अधिपः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• शुक्लतिलैः: with white sesame seeds
• शुक्लतिलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल + तिल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: कर्मधारय (शुक्लाः तिलाः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• शुद्धैः: pure
• शुद्धैः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; शुक्लतिलैः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• शुक्लपक्षे: in the bright fortnight
• शुक्लपक्षे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: कर्मधारय (शुक्लः पक्षः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• नृभिः: by men, by people
• नृभिः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

Speaker

Maheśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Himalayan tīrtha setting at dawn: pilgrims after bathing perform Gaṇādhipa pūjā on kṛṣṇa-caturthī, offering white sesame with folded hands before a small Gaṇeśa shrine near Kedāra pathways.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Gaṇādhipa (Gaṇeśa)
• Caturthī
• Kṛṣṇa-pakṣa
• Śukla-pakṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Regular, time-aligned worship (especially on Caturthī) supports dharma and removes obstacles.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction occurs within Kedārakhaṇḍa’s sacred setting, but the verse itself is a general ritual rule for Gaṇeśa worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship Gaṇeśa on Caturthī; bathe first, and use pure white sesame as part of the observance.