Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

तदोपवासः कर्तव्यो भूतायां सद्भिरादरात् । कृतनित्यक्रियः सोम त्रयोदश्यां निशामय

Transliteration

tadopavāsaḥ kartavyo bhūtāyāṃ sadbhirādarāt | kṛtanityakriyaḥ soma trayodaśyāṃ niśāmaya

Translation

于是，在那时，善人当于前一“布护多”月日（Bhūtā-tithi）恭敬持斋。完成每日应行之仪轨后，噢苏摩，当于第十三月日守夜。

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Avyaya (Time/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then)

• उपवासः: fasting
• उपवासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्

• कर्तव्यः: should be done
• कर्तव्यः: Vidhi (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्तव्य (कृदन्त; √कृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; विधिलिङ्गार्थक-तव्यत् (to be done/should be done)

• भूतायाम्: on the Bhūtā (tithi)
• भूतायाम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्; कालविशेषे (on the (tithi) called Bhūtā)

• सद्भिः: by the good (people)
• सद्भिः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्

• आदरात्: out of reverence
• आदरात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे पञ्चमी एकवचनम्; हेतौ/कारणे (out of respect)

• कृत: having performed
• कृत: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त; √कृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) समासाङ्ग

• नित्य: daily
• नित्य: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग; "daily"

• क्रियः: one who has (performed) rites
• क्रियः: Visheshya (Qualified noun/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; (क्रियः = क्रियावान्/क्रियाकर्ता—पाठानुसारं) समासाङ्ग

• सोम: O Soma
• सोम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्

• त्रयोदश्याम्: on the thirteenth lunar day
• त्रयोदश्याम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रयोदशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्

• निशामय: observe, note
• निशामय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √निशम्/√शम् (धातु; caus./denom. sense "to observe/notice")
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Śiva (Maheśāna)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Candreśvara (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Soma (Candra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees in Kāśī preparing for vrata: morning sandhyā by lamp, then a simple fasting meal withheld; at night, a vigil with rows of oil lamps, quiet chanting, and steady attention toward the shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Soma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Discipline in time—fasting, completing nitya-karmas, and keeping vigil—purifies devotion and strengthens vrata-power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The vrata is taught in the Candreśvara/Kāśī context, implying observance in Kāśī for heightened merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upavāsa (fasting), performance of nitya-kriyā, and niśā-jāgaraṇa (night vigil) on trayodaśī in relation to Somavāra-Amāvāsyā.