Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

यथा शुक्ला तथा कृष्णा न विशेषोऽस्ति कश्चन । तथापि वर्धते धर्मः शुक्लायामेव सर्वदा

Transliteration

yathā śuklā tathā kṛṣṇā na viśeṣo'sti kaścana | tathāpi vardhate dharmaḥ śuklāyāmeva sarvadā

Translation

ดังปักษ์สว่าง (ศุกลปักษ์) ฉันใด ปักษ์มืด (กฤษณปักษ์) ก็ฉันนั้น—หาแตกต่างไม่; กระนั้นก็ดี ธรรมย่อมเจริญยิ่งเสมอในปักษ์สว่าง

Word by Word

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Correlation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा/प्रकार-अव्यय (correlative adverb: as)

• शुक्ला: the bright fortnight
• शुक्ला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (शुक्ला-पक्षः implied)

• तथा: so/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Correlation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा/प्रकार-अव्यय (correlative: so/likewise)

• कृष्णा: the dark fortnight
• कृष्णा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (कृष्णा-पक्षः implied)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• विशेषः: difference
• विशेषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कश्चन: any (at all)
• कश्चन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• तथापि: nevertheless
• तथापि: Sambandha (Concession/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (concessive: nevertheless)

• वर्धते: increases
• वर्धते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• धर्मः: merit/dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शुक्लायाम्: in the bright fortnight
• शुक्लायाम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (in the bright fortnight)

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya instructional style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two mirrored panels: śukla-pakṣa with waxing moon and bright temple lamps; kṛṣṇa-pakṣa with waning moon and subdued lamps—both showing pilgrims, but the śukla side subtly more radiant, indicating ‘dharma-vardhana’.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Śukla-pakṣa
• Kṛṣṇa-pakṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Though both fortnights are sacred, the Purāṇic emphasis here is that merit-bearing observances flourish especially in the bright fortnight.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya), where correct observance of dharma is praised as part of the site’s greatness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A kāla-principle: dharma is said to ‘increase’ in śukla-pakṣa, guiding preferred timing for vows and rites.