Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

वर्षाकाले चार्द्रवासाश्चरेच्चान्द्रायणानि च । हेमन्ते तु ततः प्राप्ते तोयमध्ये वसेत्सदा

Transliteration

varṣākāle cārdravāsāścareccāndrāyaṇāni ca | hemante tu tataḥ prāpte toyamadhye vasetsadā

Translation

برسات کے موسم میں وہ نم کپڑے پہنتی اور چاندْرایَن ورت رکھتی؛ اور جب ہیمَنت (سردی) آتی تو وہ ہمیشہ پانی کے بیچ میں رہتی تھی۔

Word by Word

• वर्षाकाले: in the rainy season
• वर्षाकाले: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्षाकाल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समास (वर्षायाः कालः)

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

• आर्द्रवासाः: wearing wet garments
• आर्द्रवासाः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्द्र + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); बहुव्रीहि-समास (आर्द्राः वासांसि यस्याः/यस्य)

• चरेत्: should practice/observe
• चरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• चान्द्रायणानि: cāndrāyaṇa penances
• चान्द्रायणानि: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चान्द्रायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• हेमन्ते: in winter
• हेमन्ते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेमन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: but/then
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequence/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (thereafter)

• प्राप्ते: when (it) has arrived
• प्राप्ते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप्त (कृदन्त; √प्राप् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृत् (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute) हेमन्ते (understood)

• तोयमध्ये: in the middle of water
• तोयमध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समास (तोयस्य मध्ये)

• वसेत्: should dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb of time: always)

Speaker

Śiva (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Narmadā tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Addressed as Sundarī (and earlier Viśālākṣī/Mahādevī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Monsoon: ascetic in damp garments under rain, steady in vow; a lunar calendar motif suggests Cāndrāyaṇa. Winter: she stands or sits immersed in river water, mist rising, breath visible, unwavering gaze.

Characters & Entities

• Cāndrāyaṇa (vrata)
• Narmadā (implied water dwelling)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True vrata adapts across seasons—discipline is sustained through changing conditions, reflecting steadfast dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Narmadā tīrtha environment where one can reside in/near sacred waters, continuing the Eraṇḍī-saṅgama context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ārdravāsa (wearing damp clothes) in the rains, Cāndrāyaṇa fasting/discipline, and water-dwelling in winter.