Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

तथा चक्रहरेर्यात्रा कर्त्तव्या सुप्रयत्नतः । मार्गशार्षस्य विशदे पक्षे हरितिथौ नरैः

Transliteration

tathā cakrahareryātrā karttavyā suprayatnataḥ | mārgaśārṣasya viśade pakṣe haritithau naraiḥ

Translation

அதேபோல் சக்கரஹரியின் யாத்திரையும் மனிதர்கள் மிகுந்த முயற்சியுடன் செய்ய வேண்டும்—மார்கழி (மார்கசீர்ஷ) மாதத்தின் சுக்லபட்சத்தில், ஹரிக்கு உரிய திதிநாளில்.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/रीति-वाचक (adverb: ‘thus/in that manner’)

• चक्रहरेः: of Cakrahari (Viṣṇu)
• चक्रहरेः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्रहरि (प्रातिपदिक; चक्र + हरि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन — ‘of Cakrahari (Viṣṇu)’

• यात्रा: pilgrimage, procession
• यात्रा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• कर्तव्या: should be performed
• कर्तव्या: Vidhi (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय) → कर्तव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन — ‘to be done/should be performed’ (agreeing with ‘यात्रा’)

• सुप्रयत्नतः: with great effort
• सुप्रयत्नतः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु + प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (अव्ययीभाव-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्-प्रत्ययान्त क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘with great effort’)

• मार्गशीर्षस्य: of (the month) Mārgaśīrṣa
• मार्गशीर्षस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्गशीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचन — ‘of Mārgaśīrṣa (month)’

• विशदे: in the bright/clear
• विशदे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन — ‘in the bright/clear (fortnight)’ (agreeing with ‘पक्षे’)

• पक्षे: in the fortnight
• पक्षे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन — ‘in the fortnight’

• हरितिथौ: on Hari’s tithi
• हरितिथौ: Adhikarana (Time/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि + तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन — ‘on Hari’s tithi (Viṣṇu’s lunar day)’

• नरैः: by people
• नरैः: Kartr̥ (Agent-instrumental/कर्ता-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); बहुवचन — ‘by men/people’

Speaker

Agastya (contextual narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Cakrahari-yātrā (Ayodhyā)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: General ‘naraiḥ’ (men/pilgrims), within the viprendra-addressed discourse

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A winter-bright (Mārgaśīrṣa) procession to Cakrahari: devotees carry flags and lamps; the deity is shown with Sudarśana-cakra prominent; moonlit śukla-pakṣa ambience.

Characters & Entities

• Cakrahari
• Hari
• Mārgaśīrṣa (month)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is strengthened by timely observance: aligning pilgrimage with sacred lunar timing is praised as disciplined worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha and pilgrimage associated with Cakrahari (Hari with the discus), within the Ayodhyā sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Cakrahari-yātrā in the bright fortnight of Mārgaśīrṣa on a Hari-tithi, with special diligence.