Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

मासोपवासं च तथा कार्तिके कुलनंदिनी । सप्तलिंगानि संपूज्य देवीपूजां सदा व्यधात्

Transliteration

māsopavāsaṃ ca tathā kārtike kulanaṃdinī | saptaliṃgāni saṃpūjya devīpūjāṃ sadā vyadhāt

Translation

又在迦尔提迦月（Kārttika），那位贤淑之女守持整月斋戒；如法礼敬七座林伽之后，她恒常奉行对女神的礼拜。

Word by Word

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

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'likewise/so')

• कार्तिके: in (the month of) Kārtika
• कार्तिके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; मास-नाम

• कुलनन्दिनी: the delight of the family (a noble maiden)
• कुलनन्दिनी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल + नन्दिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कुलस्य नन्दिनी)

• सप्तलिङ्गानि: seven liṅgas
• सप्तलिङ्गानि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (सप्त लिङ्गानि)

• संपूज्य: having duly worshipped
• संपूज्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Preceding action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्- + पूज् (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्यय-कृदन्त)
• Form: पूर्वकालिक-क्रियाविशेषण (absolutive/gerund), ल्यप्; 'having worshipped'

• देवीपूजाम्: worship of the Goddess
• देवीपूजाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देव्याः पूजा)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• व्यधात्: she performed/arranged
• व्यधात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: वि-

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sapta-liṅga (local cluster)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: During Kārttika, the lady performs a month-long fast, moving from shrine to shrine to worship seven liṅgas, then returns to continuous Devī worship with lamps and flowers.

Characters & Entities

• Sunandā
• Devī
• Liṅga (Śiva-liṅga)
• Kārttika (month)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kārttika discipline, combined with Śiva-liṅga worship and Devī devotion, exemplifies integrated Purāṇic dharma leading to auspicious merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A locale featuring multiple liṅgas (seven) within the Vaṭayakṣiṇī setting is highlighted as a potent worship-field.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Month-long fasting in Kārttika, worship of seven liṅgas, and continual Devī pūjā.