Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

मासोपवासं वा कुर्याच्चांद्रायणमथापि वा । कृच्छ्रं वराकं वा कुर्यात्तप्तकृच्छ्रमथापि वा

Transliteration

māsopavāsaṃ vā kuryāccāṃdrāyaṇamathāpi vā | kṛcchraṃ varākaṃ vā kuryāttaptakṛcchramathāpi vā

Translation

或可行持一月断食，或受持月行之誓（Cāndrāyaṇa）；亦可修苦行Kṛcchra、行持Varāka之律，乃至修热苦行Taptakṛcchra。

Word by Word

• मासोपवासम्: month-long fast
• मासोपवासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक) + उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मासस्य उपवासः)

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• कुर्यात्: should do/observe
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• चांद्रायणम्: Cāndrāyaṇa vow (lunar fast)
• चांद्रायणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चांद्रायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन

• अथ: then; moreover
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भार्थक

• अपि: also
• अपि: Samuccaya (Addition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• कृच्छ्रम्: Kṛcchra penance
• कृच्छ्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन

• वराकम्: Varāka penance (austerity)
• वराकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वराक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• कुर्यात्: should do/observe
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तप्तकृच्छ्रम्: Taptakṛcchra penance (heated/arduous kṛcchra)
• तप्तकृच्छ्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तप्त (प्रातिपदिक; √तप् धातोः क्त-प्रत्यय) + कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (तप्तं कृच्छ्रम्)

• अथ: then; moreover
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भार्थक

• अपि: also
• अपि: Samuccaya (Addition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moon-cycle themed vow: devotee under a waxing/waning moon over the Gaṅgā, measuring small portions of food; nearby a Śiva shrine; heat-austerity suggested by a small sacred fire for taptakṛcchra symbolism.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Kāśī (implied context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It praises graded austerities as legitimate paths of purification and merit within purāṇic dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to the Kāśī Khaṇḍa context but does not specify a particular tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Māsopavāsa, Cāndrāyaṇa, Kṛcchra, Varāka, and Taptakṛcchra observances.