Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

भाद्रकृष्णतृतीयायामुपोषणपरैर्नृभिः । कृत्वा जागरणं रात्रौ विशालाक्षीसमीपतः

Transliteration

bhādrakṛṣṇatṛtīyāyāmupoṣaṇaparairnṛbhiḥ | kṛtvā jāgaraṇaṃ rātrau viśālākṣīsamīpataḥ

Translation

在婆陀罗波陀月（Bhādrapada）黑半月的第三日（tithi），凡专心持斋之人，应在毗舍罗阿克希（Viśālākṣī）近旁通宵守夜。

Word by Word

• भाद्रकृष्णतृतीयायाम्: on the third (tithi) of the dark fortnight of Bhādra
• भाद्रकृष्णतृतीयायाम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाद्र + कृष्ण + तृतीया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (भाद्रस्य कृष्णपक्षस्य तृतीया)

• उपोषणपरैः: by men devoted to fasting
• उपोषणपरैः: Kartr-sahakari (Agent’s qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपोषण + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (उपोषणे पराः = devoted to fasting)

• नृभिः: by men
• नृभिः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव

• जागरणम्: night vigil (keeping awake)
• जागरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (वैकल्पिक रूप)

• विशालाक्षीसमīपतः: near Viśālākṣī
• विशालाक्षीसमīपतः: Adhikarana (Proximity/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशालाक्षी + समीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘-तः’; समासः—तत्पुरुष (विशालाक्ष्याः समीपात्)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśālākṣī-sannidhi (connected to Viśāla Tīrtha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya (Kumbhaja)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night at Kāśī: devotees sit with lamps and incense before Viśālākṣī, fasting, chanting, and keeping vigil; the Gaṅgā nearby reflects moonlight of Bhādrapada’s dark fortnight.

Characters & Entities

• Bhādrapada
• Kṛṣṇa Tṛtīyā
• Viśālākṣī
• Vārāṇasī (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Discipline (fasting) and wakeful devotion (night vigil) concentrate the mind and invite the goddess’s grace in a sacred place.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The vicinity of Viśālākṣī in Kāśī, connected with Viśālatīrtha tradition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observe upavāsa (fasting) and perform jāgaraṇa (night vigil) on Bhādrapada kṛṣṇa tṛtīyā near Viśālākṣī.