Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

त्रिंशन्मुहूर्त्तमुद्दिष्टमहोरात्रं मनीषिभिः । मासस्त्रिंशदहोरात्रैद्वौ द्वौ मासावृतुं विदुः

Transliteration

triṃśanmuhūrttamuddiṣṭamahorātraṃ manīṣibhiḥ | māsastriṃśadahorātraidvau dvau māsāvṛtuṃ viduḥ

Translation

داناؤں نے بتایا ہے کہ ایک ‘اہوراتر’ (دن اور رات) تیس مہورتوں پر مشتمل ہے۔ ایک مہینہ تیس ایسے دن رات سے شمار ہوتا ہے، اور ہر دو مہینے مل کر ایک ‘رتو’ (موسم) کہلاتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• triṃśat: thirty
• triṃśat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: triṃśat (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम्; अव्ययवत् (indeclinable numeral used adjectivally)

• muhūrtam: a muhūrta (time-unit)
• muhūrtam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muhūrta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• uddiṣṭam: designated, stated
• uddiṣṭam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud-diś (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• ahaḥrātram: a day-and-night (a full day)
• ahaḥrātram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahaḥrātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (अहः + रात्र); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• manīṣibhiḥ: by the sages/wise men
• manīṣibhiḥ: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manīṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• māsaḥ: a month
• māsaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• triṃśat: thirty
• triṃśat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: triṃśat (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम्; अव्ययवत्

• ahaḥrātraiḥ: by (means of) day-nights (days)
• ahaḥrātraiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahaḥrātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• dvau: two
• dvau: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• dvau: two (each)
• dvau: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, द्विवचन (पुनरुक्ति—वितरणार्थम्)

• māsau: two months
• māsau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• ṛtum: a season
• ṛtum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛtu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• viduḥ: they know/consider
• viduḥ: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: viprendra (best of brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic calendar wheel shows 30 muhūrtas in a day, 30 days in a month, and paired months forming seasons; pilgrims traverse landscapes changing with seasons—summer heat, monsoon clouds, autumn clarity.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Puranic dharma embeds worship within a sacred calendar; understanding day, month, and season supports disciplined observance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular site; this is a universal calendrical teaching placed within the Tīrthamāhātmya discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The standard reckoning of ahorātra, month, and season used to structure vratas, pilgrimages, and temple festivals.