Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 126

Devanagari script

विशेषेण तु वैशाखी श्राद्धादीनां प्रशस्यते । वैशाखे तु तृतीयां वै पूर्वविद्धां करोति यः

Transliteration

viśeṣeṇa tu vaiśākhī śrāddhādīnāṃ praśasyate | vaiśākhe tu tṛtīyāṃ vai pūrvaviddhāṃ karoti yaḥ

Translation

尤其在毗舍迦（Vaiśākha）月，最宜行施食祖灵的舍罗陀（śrāddha）等仪。然若于毗舍迦月将第三日（tṛtīyā）按“前日侵入”（pūrva-viddhā）之法而行，则为失当。

Word by Word

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभाव (instrumental used adverbially): 'विशेषेण' = 'especially'

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• वैशाखी: (the rite/day) of Vaiśākha
• वैशाखी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशाखी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'वैशाख-सम्बन्धिनी (तिथि/कालः)'

• श्राद्धादीनाम्: of śrāddha and other rites
• श्राद्धादीनाम्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—श्राद्ध + आदि = 'श्राद्धादि' (श्राद्ध etc.)

• प्रशस्यते: is praised, is recommended
• प्रशस्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + शंस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः: 'is praised/commended'

• वैशाखे: in (the month of) Vaiśākha
• वैशाखे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशाख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• तृतीयाम्: the third lunar day (tṛtīyā)
• तृतीयाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृतीया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (तिथि-नाम)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• पूर्वविद्धाम्: one that begins earlier (pūrvaviddhā)
• पूर्वविद्धाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व-विद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—पूर्व + विद्ध (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, √व्यध्/√विध् 'to pierce/mark') = 'पूर्वेण विद्धा' (beginning earlier; 'previously touched')

• करोति: does, observes
• करोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A learned brāhmaṇa explains Vaiśākha śrāddha timing to pilgrims at Dvārakā; a pañcāṅga is open, with tithi overlap marked, while offerings are prepared near a sacred water edge.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśākha (month)
• Śrāddha
• Tṛtīyā tithi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even in an auspicious month like Vaiśākha, rites must be performed on the correct tithi as defined by dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā is the narrative setting, while the verse teaches broadly applicable calendrical dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Guidance about how to determine and perform Vaiśākha tṛtīyā with respect to tithi-vedha (overlap).