Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

विशेषेण महाभाग कन्यासंस्थे दिवाकरे । निर्विण्णा भूमिलोकानां कृतैः श्राद्धैरनेकधा

Transliteration

viśeṣeṇa mahābhāga kanyāsaṃsthe divākare | nirviṇṇā bhūmilokānāṃ kṛtaiḥ śrāddhairanekadhā

Translation

హే మహాభాగా! ప్రత్యేకంగా సూర్యుడు కన్యారాశిలో ఉన్నప్పుడు, భూలోక జనులు అనేక విధాలుగా చేసిన శ్రాద్ధాల వల్ల గయా తృప్తి చెందుతుంది.

Word by Word

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभाव (instrumental used adverbially); प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: महान् भागः यस्य

• कन्या-संस्थे: when (the sun is) in Virgo (Kanyā)
• कन्या-संस्थे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थ (कृदन्त; स्था-धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक (दिवाकर-विशेषणरूपेण), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: कन्यायां संस्थः (स्थितः)

• दिवाकरे: when the sun (is)
• दिवाकरे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• निर्विण्णा: wearied / dissatisfied
• निर्विण्णा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विण्ण (कृदन्त; विद्/विन्द्-धातु with निर्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• भूमि-लोकानाम्: of the inhabitants of the earth-world
• भूमि-लोकानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: भूमेः लोकाः

• कृतैः: by performed
• कृतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसक/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• श्राद्धैः: by śrāddha rites
• श्राद्धैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• अनेकधा: in many ways
• अनेकधा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनेकधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (in many ways)

Speaker

Viśvāmitra

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kūpikā with Gayā-sānnidhya (Kanyā-ravi special period)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic sun-disc entering the Virgo sign above the sacred well; pilgrims perform śrāddha with piṇḍa/tila/water offerings; atmosphere of calm ritual order.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Sūrya (Divākara)
• Kanyā (Virgo)
• Gayā (implied from prior verse)
• Śrāddha
• Pitṛs (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma emphasizes auspicious timing: rites done at the right season are said to yield heightened ancestral satisfaction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same holy well/tīrtha associated with Gayā, with special efficacy during the Sun’s transit in Kanyā (Virgo).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of śrāddha, with special emphasis during the period when the Sun is ‘kanyāsaṃstha’ (in Virgo).