Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

चतुर्थ्यां च चतुर्थ्यां च सर्वैर्नगरवासिभिः । तस्मिन्महोत्सवः कार्यो राष्ट्रक्षेमार्थ सिद्धये

Transliteration

caturthyāṃ ca caturthyāṃ ca sarvairnagaravāsibhiḥ | tasminmahotsavaḥ kāryo rāṣṭrakṣemārtha siddhaye

Translation

Vào mỗi ngày Caturthī (mồng bốn âm lịch), toàn thể dân cư trong thành hãy cùng nhau cử hành đại lễ tại đó, để phúc lợi và sự an ổn của quốc độ được thành tựu.

Word by Word

• चतुर्थ्याम्: on the fourth (lunar day)
• चतुर्थ्याम्: Kāla (Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; तिथिवाचक

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• चतुर्थ्याम्: on the fourth (again)
• चतुर्थ्याम्: Kāla (Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• सर्वैः: by all
• सर्वैः: Karta (Agent/Doer)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; सर्व-शब्दः (collective: 'by all')

• नगरवासिभिः: by the town-dwellers
• नगरवासिभिः: Karta (Agent/Doer)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगर + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; (नगरे वासिनः)

• तस्मिन्: in that (occasion/place)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (Location/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• महोत्सवः: a great festival
• महोत्सवः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + उत्सव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; (महान् उत्सवः)

• कार्यः: should be performed/held
• कार्यः: Vidhi (Obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/य-प्रत्ययान्त (Gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (to be done/held)

• राष्ट्रक्षेमार्थ: for the welfare of the kingdom
• राष्ट्रक्षेमार्थ: Sampradāna (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र + क्षेम + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; (राष्ट्रक्षेमस्य अर्थाय)

• सिद्धये: for success/attainment
• सिद्धये: Sampradāna (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara) (deduced from immediate narrative context in Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-nagara (Caturthī mahotsava for Gaṇanātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (Pārvatī) / civic community by extension

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A bustling Caturthī festival in the sacred city: processions, banners, lamps, offerings, and a central Gaṇeśa shrine; townspeople gather for a mahotsava praying for the kingdom’s welfare.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Shared, time-bound worship (on Caturthī) strengthens both dharma and collective well-being, linking devotion with social order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra (Prabhāsa Kshetra) within the Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa of the Skanda Purāṇa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A mahotsava (grand public festival) to be performed by all city residents on each Caturthī.