Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

उपलभ्य च सावित्रीं नोपतिष्ठेत यः पराम् । काले त्रिकालं सप्ताहात्स पतेन्नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

upalabhya ca sāvitrīṃ nopatiṣṭheta yaḥ parām | kāle trikālaṃ saptāhātsa patennātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

جس نے پرم ساوتری (گایتری) حاصل کی ہو اور جو مقررہ اوقات میں—دن میں تین بار—اس کی اُپاسنا نہ کرے، وہ سات دن کے اندر گر پڑتا ہے؛ اس میں کوئی شک نہیں۔

Word by Word

• उपलभ्य: having obtained
• उपलभ्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उप√लभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive): ‘having obtained/received’

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

• सावित्रीम्: the Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī mantra)
• सावित्रीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावित्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Kriya-pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• उपतिष्ठेत: should attend upon/worship
• उपतिष्ठेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप√स्था (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• पराम्: supreme; highest
• पराम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; ‘सावित्रीम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• काले: at the proper time
• काले: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; समये (in due time)

• त्रिकालम्: thrice daily
• त्रिकालम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (adverbial): ‘त्रिषु कालेषु’

• सप्ताहात्: after a week; from (within) seven days
• सप्ताहात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अहन्/अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (सप्त अहानि = सप्ताहः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पतेत्: would fall (from duty/merit)
• पतेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Kriya-pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• अत्र: here; in this matter
• अत्र: Desha-adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Gaṇas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvijottama addressed

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A twice-born practitioner holding a japa-mālā at dawn/noon/dusk, with a contrasting vignette of neglect leading to a symbolic ‘fall’—dimmed aura, broken routine—underscoring the verse’s warning.

Characters & Entities

• Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī)
• Tri-kāla (three daily times)
• Brāhmaṇa discipline (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Initiation into sacred mantra entails daily responsibility; neglect of nitya-karma leads to rapid spiritual decline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction is situated in Kāśī-khaṇḍa, reinforcing Kāśī’s role as a center for orthodox dharma and liberation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tri-kāla upāsanā/japa of Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī) at the proper times (sandhyās).