Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 122

Devanagari script

सन्ध्यामुपासीत बुधः संशांतः प्रयतः शुचिः । पूर्वां सन्ध्यां सनक्षत्रां पश्चिमां सदिवाकराम्

Transliteration

sandhyāmupāsīta budhaḥ saṃśāṃtaḥ prayataḥ śuciḥ | pūrvāṃ sandhyāṃ sanakṣatrāṃ paścimāṃ sadivākarām

Translation

ஞானி அமைதியுடன், கட்டுப்பாட்டுடன், தூய்மையுடன் சந்த்யா உபாசனை செய்ய வேண்டும். காலைச் சந்த்யாவை நட்சத்திரங்கள் தெரியும் வேளையில், மாலைச் சந்த்யாவை சூரியன் இருக்கும் போதே செய்ய வேண்டும்.

Word by Word

• sandhyām: the twilight worship (sandhyā)
• sandhyām: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sandhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्

• upāsīta: should worship/attend upon
• upāsīta: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-ās (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• budhaḥ: the wise person
• budhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्

• saṃśāṃtaḥ: calmed, tranquil
• saṃśāṃtaḥ: Karta (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃ-śānta (प्रातिपदिक; √śam शम्)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘budhaḥ’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• prayataḥ: self-restrained, disciplined
• prayataḥ: Karta (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prayata (प्रातिपदिक; √yat यत्)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त, पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘budhaḥ’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• śuciḥ: pure, clean
• śuciḥ: Karta (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘budhaḥ’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• pūrvām: the eastern/earlier
• pūrvām: Karman (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘sandhyām’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• sandhyām: sandhyā (twilight)
• sandhyām: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sandhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• sa-nakṣatrām: with stars (visible)
• sa-nakṣatrām: Karman (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + nakṣatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; ‘सह’ अर्थे ‘sa-’ उपपदपूर्वकः (with stars)

• paścimām: the western/later
• paścimām: Karman (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paścima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; ‘sandhyām’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• sa-divākarām: with the sun (present)
• sa-divākarām: Karman (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपपद) + divākara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; ‘सह’ अर्थे ‘sa-’ (with the sun)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sandhyā-tīrtha (kāla-sandhi)

Type: sangam

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Wise/kingly addressee implied in the instructional sequence

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two-panel scene: (left) dawn with lingering stars; devotee facing east in añjali; (right) dusk with low sun; devotee facing west; both with a small water vessel and sacred thread visible.

Characters & Entities

• Sandhyā
• Nakṣatra
• Divākara (Sun)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Regular sandhyā observance, performed with inner calm and outer purity, is upheld as a pillar of dharmic life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse teaches daily ritual discipline.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform morning sandhyā before the stars fade and evening sandhyā before the sun fully sets.