Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

वैशाखे जलकुम्भाश्च कार्त्तिके घृतदीपिकाः । माघे धान्यतिलोत्सर्गः स्वर्गलोके विशिष्यते

Transliteration

vaiśākhe jalakumbhāśca kārttike ghṛtadīpikāḥ | māghe dhānyatilotsargaḥ svargaloke viśiṣyate

Translation

在毗舍迦月(Vaiśākha)施赠水罐；在迦尔提迦月(Kārttika)供奉酥油灯；在摩伽月(Māgha)布施谷粮与芝麻——此等功德尤为殊胜，令人在天界得卓越福报。

Word by Word

• वैशाखे: in Vaiśākha
• वैशाखे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशाख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; काल-अधिकरण

• जल-कुम्भाः: water-pots (pots of water)
• जल-कुम्भाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; कर्तृ/उद्देश्य-विषय (items mentioned)

• च: and
• च: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक-अव्यय (and)

• कार्त्तिके: in Kārttika
• कार्त्तिके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्त्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; काल-अधिकरण

• घृत-दीपिकाः: ghee-lamps
• घृत-दीपिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक) + दीपिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; कर्तृ/उद्देश्य-विषय

• माघे: in Māgha
• माघे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; काल-अधिकरण

• धान्य-तिल-उत्सर्गः: the donation/relinquishing of grain and sesame
• धान्य-तिल-उत्सर्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धान्य (प्रातिपदिक) + तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक; √सृज् धातु, उपसर्ग उत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्ता (the act as subject)

• स्वर्ग-लोके: in heaven
• स्वर्ग-लोके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण (sphere/result-locus)

• विशिष्यते: is especially distinguished/excels
• विशिष्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √शिष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Deductive: a Purāṇic narrator/teacher within Brahmakhaṇḍa (speaker not explicit in the snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Month-wise dāna triad (Vaiśākha kumbha-dāna; Kārttika ghṛta-dīpa-dāna; Māgha dhānya-tila-dāna)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three seasonal vignettes: (1) summer Vaiśākha—donor offering a water pot to travelers; (2) Kārttika evening—rows of ghee lamps glowing at a temple/ghāṭa; (3) Māgha—donation of grain and sesame sacks to the needy near a riverbank in cool mist.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśākha (month)
• Kārttika (month)
• Māgha (month)
• Svarga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Time-sensitive charity (kāla-viśeṣa dāna) is highly meritorious; aligning gifts with sacred months multiplies spiritual fruit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is specified; the verse praises month-based dāna practices applicable across tīrthas and temples.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vaiśākha: donate water pots; Kārttika: offer ghee lamps; Māgha: donate grains and sesame.