Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

अयने विषुवे युग्मे सामान्ये चार्कसंक्रमे । अमावास्याष्टकायां च कृष्णपक्षे विशेषतः

Transliteration

ayane viṣuve yugme sāmānye cārkasaṃkrame | amāvāsyāṣṭakāyāṃ ca kṛṣṇapakṣe viśeṣataḥ

Translation

اَیَن، وِشُو (اعتدال)، یُگم (خاص) مواقع اور سورج کے سنکرانتی کے وقت بھی؛ اور خصوصاً کرشن پکش میں اَماوسیا اور اَشٹکا کے دن—شِرادھ نہایت مستحسن ہے۔

Word by Word

• अयने: at the solstice (ayana)
• अयने: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• विषुवे: at the equinox
• विषुवे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• युग्मे: on paired (special) occasions
• युग्मे: Adhikarana (Time/Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• सामान्ये: in ordinary (times)
• सामान्ये: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

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

• अर्कसंक्रमे: at the sun’s transit (saṅkrānti)
• अर्कसंक्रमे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + संक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अर्कस्य संक्रमः)

• अमावास्याष्टकायाम्: on new-moon and aṣṭakā (occasion)
• अमावास्याष्टकायाम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमावास्या (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (अमावास्या+अष्टका)

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

• कृष्णपक्षे: in the dark fortnight
• कृष्णपक्षे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समास (कृष्णः पक्षः)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (adverb: especially)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa māhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic depiction of the sun’s course: two solstice markers and an equinox balance, with a priest performing śrāddha at Prabhāsa; the dark fortnight moon is shown, highlighting Amāvāsyā and Aṣṭakā.

Characters & Entities

• Ayana
• Viṣuva
• Arka-saṃkrānti
• Amāvāsyā
• Aṣṭakā
• Kṛṣṇa-pakṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic transitions (sun’s ingress, solstices, equinoxes) are dharma-amplifying times suited for pitṛ-oriented rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching occurs in the Prabhāsa-kṣetra māhātmya, linking correct timing with tīrtha-based merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Śrāddha at ayana, viṣuva, saṃkrānti, and particularly on Amāvāsyā/Aṣṭakā in the kṛṣṇa-pakṣa.