Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

कार्त्तिकस्य तु मासस्य कृष्णपक्षे चतुर्दशीम् । घृतेन स्नापयेद्देवमुपोष्य प्रयतो नरः

Transliteration

kārttikasya tu māsasya kṛṣṇapakṣe caturdaśīm | ghṛtena snāpayeddevamupoṣya prayato naraḥ

Translation

ในเดือนการ์ตติกะ วันจตุรทศีแห่งกฤษณปักษ์ ผู้มีวินัยพึงถืออุโบสถ แล้วด้วยความเพียรและศรัทธา ชำระองค์เทพด้วยเนยใส (ฆี)

Word by Word

• कार्त्तिकस्य: of (the month) Kārttika
• कार्त्तिकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्त्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: indeed/and (but)
• तु: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/विरोधार्थक (emphasis/contrast)

• मासस्य: of the month
• मासस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• कृष्णपक्षे: in the dark fortnight
• कृष्णपक्षे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्णपक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• चतुर्दशीम्: the fourteenth (lunar day)
• चतुर्दशीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• घृतेन: with ghee
• घृतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (cause to be bathed)
• स्नापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• देवम्: the deity
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• उपोष्य: having fasted
• उपोष्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उपवस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• प्रयतः: disciplined, restrained
• प्रयतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रयत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A restrained devotee fasting on Kārttika kṛṣṇa-caturdaśī performs ghee-abhiṣeka to Śiva in a riverside shrine; lamps and autumnal clarity suggest Kārttika sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Kārttika
• Caturdaśī
• Deva (Śiva implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Timed observances (kāla-viśeṣa) joined with discipline and devotion are presented as powerful means of gaining sacred merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader passage is Śuklatīrtha-māhātmya in the Revā Khaṇḍa, though this verse focuses on the Kārttika observance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

On Kārttika kṛṣṇapakṣa caturdaśī: fast (upoṣa) and perform ghṛta-snāna/abhisheka of the deity.