Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

कृच्छ्रातिकृच्छ्रं पयसा दिवसानेकविंशतिः । द्वादशाहोपवासेन पराकः परिकीर्तितः

Transliteration

kṛcchrātikṛcchraṃ payasā divasānekaviṃśatiḥ | dvādaśāhopavāsena parākaḥ parikīrtitaḥ

Translation

‘க்ருச்சிராதிக்ருச்சிர’ம் இருபத்தொன்று நாட்கள் பால் மட்டும் கொண்டு அனுஷ்டிக்கப்படுகிறது; பன்னிரண்டு நாள் உபவாசம் ‘பராக’ம் என அறிவிக்கப்படுகிறது.

Word by Word

• kṛcchra-ati-kṛcchram: (the regimen of) kṛcchra/atikṛcchra
• kṛcchra-ati-kṛcchram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛcchra (प्रातिपदिक) + ati (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + kṛcchra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः: ‘kṛcchra and atikṛcchra (as regimen)’ / ‘atikṛcchra related to kṛcchra’

• payasā: with milk
• payasā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: payas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• divasa-aneka-viṃśatiḥ: for twenty-one days
• divasa-aneka-viṃśatiḥ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: divasa (प्रातिपदिक) + aneka (प्रातिपदिक) + viṃśati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः: ‘(for) days—one and twenty’ = 21 days (ekaviṃśati)

• dvādaśa-aha-upavāsena: by a twelve-day fast
• dvādaśa-aha-upavāsena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādaśa (प्रातिपदिक) + ahan (प्रातिपदिक) + upavāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः: ‘by a twelve-day fast’

• parākaḥ: the parāka (penance)
• parākaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन

• parikīrtitaḥ: is proclaimed
• parikīrtitaḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari + √kīrt (कीर्त्, धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; ‘is declared’

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (general vrata context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim in Kāśī keeps a simple diary of days; a small pot of milk symbolizes the 21-day regimen; another scene shows the 12-day Parāka fast with the devotee seated in meditation, temple lamp burning steadily.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Penance is graded by intensity and duration; disciplined time-bound austerity is a puranic tool for purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The classification is taught in Kāśī Khaṇḍa, reflecting Kāśī’s role as a foremost field for prāyaścitta and spiritual renewal.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Kṛcchra-Ati-Kṛcchra: milk-only for 21 days; Parāka: a 12-day fast.