Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

उपोष्य परया भक्त्या व्रतमेतत्समाचरेत् । रात्रौ जागरणं कृत्वा दीपदानं स्वशक्तितः

Transliteration

upoṣya parayā bhaktyā vratametatsamācaret | rātrau jāgaraṇaṃ kṛtvā dīpadānaṃ svaśaktitaḥ

Translation

ให้ถืออุโบสถด้วยภักติอันยิ่ง แล้วปฏิบัติวรตนี้; ครั้นทำการตื่นเฝ้ายามราตรีแล้ว จงถวายทานประทีปตามกำลังตน

Word by Word

• उपोष्य: having fasted
• उपोष्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उपवस् (धातु) → उपोष्य (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having fasted)

• परया: supreme, utmost
• परया: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with भक्त्या)

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• व्रतम्: vow, observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with व्रतम्)

• समाचरेत्: should perform/observe
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (locative: at night)

• जागरणम्: wakefulness, vigil
• जागरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having done)

• दीपदानम्: offering of a lamp
• दीपदानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-भाव: 'दीपस्य दानम्'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• स्वशक्तितः: according to one’s ability
• स्वशक्तितः: Hetu/Prayojana (Manner/हेतु-प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; तद्धितान्त 'तस्' (ablatival adverb): 'स्वशक्तेः अनुसारम्/यथाशक्ति'

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Narmadā-tīra vrata with Dīpa-dāna

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night at the Narmadā ghat: rows of small lamps flicker on steps and floating leaf-cups; devotees sit awake in prayer; the river reflects a ribbon of light under a starry sky.

Characters & Entities

• Vrata
• Dīpa-dāna
• Jāgaraṇa
• Narmadā tīrtha (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion becomes complete through disciplined practice—fasting, wakeful remembrance, and compassionate giving.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Parāśara-associated tīrtha on the southern bank of the Narmadā where this vrata is to be performed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upavāsa (fasting), rātri-jāgaraṇa (night vigil), and dīpa-dāna (offering lamps) according to one’s means.