Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

अष्टम्यां च चतुर्दश्यां मासांते पूर्णिमादिने । संक्रांतौ ग्रहणे काला एते प्रोक्ता भवार्चने

Transliteration

aṣṭamyāṃ ca caturdaśyāṃ māsāṃte pūrṇimādine | saṃkrāṃtau grahaṇe kālā ete proktā bhavārcane

Translation

วันอัษฏมี วันจตุรทศี วันสิ้นเดือน วันเพ็ญ (ปูรณิมา) กาลแห่งสังกรานติ และคราวคราส—กาลเหล่านี้ทรงประกาศว่าเหมาะยิ่งสำหรับการบูชาพวะ (พระศิวะ)

Word by Word

• अष्टम्याम्: on the eighth (tithi)
• अष्टम्याम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण (on the eighth lunar day)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• चतुर्दश्याम्: on the fourteenth (tithi)
• चतुर्दश्याम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण (on the fourteenth tithi)

• मासान्ते: at the end of the month
• मासान्ते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (मासस्य अन्तः); अधिकरण (at month-end)

• पूर्णिमादिने: on the full-moon day
• पूर्णिमादिने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्णिमा + दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (पूर्णिमायाः दिनम्); अधिकरण (on the full-moon day)

• संक्रान्तौ: at the solar ingress (saṅkrānti)
• संक्रान्तौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संक्रान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण (at saṅkrānti)

• ग्रहणे: during an eclipse
• ग्रहणे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रहण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण (during eclipse)

• कालाः: times
• कालाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• एते: these
• एते: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (कालाः)

• प्रोक्ताः: are declared
• प्रोक्ताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विधेय (are said)

• भवार्चने: in the worship of Bhava (Śiva)
• भवार्चने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (भवस्य अर्चनम्); अधिकरण (in the worship of Bhava/Śiva)

Speaker

Sārasvata (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Śaiva shrine in Vastrāpatha with devotees marking aṣṭamī/caturdaśī/pūrṇimā; sky shows saṅkrānti symbolism and an eclipse disk; priests prepare abhiṣeka vessels and bilva leaves.

Characters & Entities

• Bhava (Śiva)
• Aṣṭamī
• Caturdaśī
• Pūrṇimā
• Saṅkrānti
• Grahaṇa (eclipse)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Certain liminal times (tithis, saṅkrānti, eclipses) are especially potent for Śiva worship and merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The timing guidance is given in the Vastrāpatha Kṣetra context, where Bhava’s worship is emphasized.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Bhavārcana (Śiva worship) particularly on Aṣṭamī, Caturdaśī, Pūrṇimā, month-end, Saṅkrānti, and during eclipses.