Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

उपवासो विनिर्द्दिष्टो विशेषाद्देवताश्रये । ब्राह्मणस्य त्वनशनं तपः परमिहोच्यते

Transliteration

upavāso vinirddiṣṭo viśeṣāddevatāśraye | brāhmaṇasya tvanaśanaṃ tapaḥ paramihocyate

Translation

اُپواس خاص طور پر اُن مقامات میں مقرر کیا گیا ہے جو دیوتا کا آشرے ہیں۔ اور برہمن کے لیے یہاں مکمل اَنَشن (خوراک سے کلی پرہیز) کو سب سے اعلیٰ تپسیا کہا گیا ہے۔

Word by Word

• उपवासः: fasting
• उपवासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विनिर्दिष्टः: prescribed, enjoined
• विनिर्दिष्टः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-निर्दिश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपवासः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• विशेषात्: especially
• विशेषात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ/विशेषेण (especially) इत्यर्थे

• देवताश्रये: in the refuge/abode of the deity
• देवताश्रये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता-आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; देवतायाः आश्रयः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• ब्राह्मणस्य: of a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• अनशनम्: complete abstention from food
• अनशनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Pradhana (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तपः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• इह: here
• इह: Desha/Kaala-adhikarana (Adverbial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: here/in this context)

• उच्यते: is said, is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic voice within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (devatā-āśraya sthāna)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a temple precinct: a brāhmaṇa devotee seated in austerity (anāśana), with japa-mālā and water pot, while priests perform simple worship; signage of ‘devatā-āśraya’ is conveyed through sanctum, dhvaja-stambha, and lamp-lit corridors.

Characters & Entities

• Devatā-śraya (temple/holy abode)
• Brāhmaṇa
• Upavāsa
• Anaśana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha/temple setting intensifies religious disciplines; fasting becomes a foremost austerity when done in the deity’s abode.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a single named site; the verse speaks of any devatā-śraya (sanctuary) within the broader Prabhāsa pilgrimage framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upavāsa at deity-abodes; specifically, anaśana (complete fasting) is praised as highest tapas for brāhmaṇas.