Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

चतुर्थ्यां च चतुर्थ्यां च सर्वैर्नगरवासिभिः । तस्मिन्महोत्सवः कार्यो राष्ट्रक्षेमार्थ सिद्धये

Transliteration

caturthyāṃ ca caturthyāṃ ca sarvairnagaravāsibhiḥ | tasminmahotsavaḥ kāryo rāṣṭrakṣemārtha siddhaye

Translation

चतुर्थ्यां चतुर्थ्यां सर्वैर्नगरवासिभिस्तत्र महोत्सवः कर्तव्यः, राष्ट्रक्षेमसिद्ध्यर्थं सम्यक्।

Word by Word

• चतुर्थ्याम्: on the fourth (lunar day)
• चतुर्थ्याम्: Kāla (Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; तिथिवाचक

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• चतुर्थ्याम्: on the fourth (again)
• चतुर्थ्याम्: Kāla (Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• सर्वैः: by all
• सर्वैः: Karta (Agent/Doer)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; सर्व-शब्दः (collective: 'by all')

• नगरवासिभिः: by the town-dwellers
• नगरवासिभिः: Karta (Agent/Doer)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगर + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; (नगरे वासिनः)

• तस्मिन्: in that (occasion/place)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (Location/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• महोत्सवः: a great festival
• महोत्सवः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + उत्सव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; (महान् उत्सवः)

• कार्यः: should be performed/held
• कार्यः: Vidhi (Obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/य-प्रत्ययान्त (Gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (to be done/held)

• राष्ट्रक्षेमार्थ: for the welfare of the kingdom
• राष्ट्रक्षेमार्थ: Sampradāna (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र + क्षेम + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; (राष्ट्रक्षेमस्य अर्थाय)

• सिद्धये: for success/attainment
• सिद्धये: Sampradāna (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara) (deduced from immediate narrative context in Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-nagara (Caturthī mahotsava for Gaṇanātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (Pārvatī) / civic community by extension

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A bustling Caturthī festival in the sacred city: processions, banners, lamps, offerings, and a central Gaṇeśa shrine; townspeople gather for a mahotsava praying for the kingdom’s welfare.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Shared, time-bound worship (on Caturthī) strengthens both dharma and collective well-being, linking devotion with social order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra (Prabhāsa Kshetra) within the Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa of the Skanda Purāṇa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A mahotsava (grand public festival) to be performed by all city residents on each Caturthī.