Shloka 6
स्कन्दग्रहवर्णनम् (Skanda-graha-varṇanam) — Description and Pacification of the Skanda-afflictions
पश्यत्यर्चिष्मती भाभिह्॑विर्भिश्न हविष्मती । षष्ठीमज्ञिरस: कन्यां पुण्यामाहुर्महिष्मतीम्,उनकी चौथी पुत्री “अर्चिष्मती” है, (यही पूर्ण चन्द्रमासे युक्त होनेके कारण शुद्ध पौर्णमासी कही जाती है) इसकी प्रभासे लोग रातमें भी सब वस्तुओंको स्पष्ट देखते हैं। पाँचवीं कन्या “हविष्मती' (प्रतिपदयुक्ता पूर्णिमा 'राका”) है, जिसके सांनिध्यमें हविष्यद्वारा देवताओंका यजन किया जाता है। अंगिरा मुनिकी जो छठी पुण्यात्मा कन्या है, उसे “महिष्मती” कहते हैं (यही चतुर्दशीयुक्ता पूर्णिमा है, जिसे “अनुमति” भी कहते हैं)
paśyaty arcīṣmatī bhābhir bhir bhisna haviṣmatī | ṣaṣṭhīm aṅgirasaḥ kanyāṃ puṇyām āhur mahiṣmatīm ||
Wika ni Mārkaṇḍeya: “Ang Arcīṣmatī ay nakikita dahil sa sariling ningning ng kaniyang liwanag; at ang Haviṣmatī ay kaugnay ng havis—mga handog na iniaalay. Ang ikaanim na mapalad na anak na babae ng pantas na si Aṅgiras, ayon sa pahayag ng mga tao, ay tinatawag na Mahiṣmatī.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that time (especially lunar time used for rites) is not morally neutral: it is sacralized and personified, and proper ritual action (havis-offerings) aligns human conduct with cosmic order (ṛta/dharma). Radiance and clarity symbolize right perception, while havis symbolizes disciplined devotion.
Mārkaṇḍeya continues a catalog-like description in which lunar days/phases are presented as ‘daughters’ (kanyāḥ) with distinct qualities and names. Here he mentions Arcīṣmatī (radiant), Haviṣmatī (connected with oblations), and identifies the sixth auspicious daughter of Aṅgiras as Mahiṣmatī.