Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

उपलभ्य च सावित्रीं नोपतिष्ठेत यः पराम् । काले त्रिकालं सप्ताहात्स पतेन्नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

upalabhya ca sāvitrīṃ nopatiṣṭheta yaḥ parām | kāle trikālaṃ saptāhātsa patennātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

உயர்ந்த சாவித்ரீ (காயத்ரீ) பெற்றும், உரிய காலங்களில்—நாளில் மூன்று வேளைகளிலும்—அவளை வழிபடாதவன் ஏழு நாளில் வீழ்ச்சியடைவான்; இதில் ஐயமில்லை.

Word by Word

• उपलभ्य: having obtained
• उपलभ्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उप√लभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive): ‘having obtained/received’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सावित्रीम्: the Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī mantra)
• सावित्रीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावित्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Kriya-pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• उपतिष्ठेत: should attend upon/worship
• उपतिष्ठेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप√स्था (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• पराम्: supreme; highest
• पराम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; ‘सावित्रीम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• काले: at the proper time
• काले: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; समये (in due time)

• त्रिकालम्: thrice daily
• त्रिकालम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (adverbial): ‘त्रिषु कालेषु’

• सप्ताहात्: after a week; from (within) seven days
• सप्ताहात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अहन्/अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (सप्त अहानि = सप्ताहः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पतेत्: would fall (from duty/merit)
• पतेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Kriya-pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• अत्र: here; in this matter
• अत्र: Desha-adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Gaṇas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvijottama addressed

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A twice-born practitioner holding a japa-mālā at dawn/noon/dusk, with a contrasting vignette of neglect leading to a symbolic ‘fall’—dimmed aura, broken routine—underscoring the verse’s warning.

Characters & Entities

• Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī)
• Tri-kāla (three daily times)
• Brāhmaṇa discipline (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Initiation into sacred mantra entails daily responsibility; neglect of nitya-karma leads to rapid spiritual decline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction is situated in Kāśī-khaṇḍa, reinforcing Kāśī’s role as a center for orthodox dharma and liberation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tri-kāla upāsanā/japa of Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī) at the proper times (sandhyās).