Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

प्रेतत्वं दुःसहं पुत्र दुःसहा यमयातना । तस्मात्पुत्र न कर्त्तव्यं सशल्यं द्वादशीव्रतम्

Transliteration

pretatvaṃ duḥsahaṃ putra duḥsahā yamayātanā | tasmātputra na karttavyaṃ saśalyaṃ dvādaśīvratam

Translation

为饿鬼（preta）之身，苦不可堪，吾子；阎摩（Yama）之刑罚亦苦不可堪。故此，吾子，切莫以缺失行持十二日斋（Dvādaśī 之誓）。

Word by Word

• प्रेतत्वम्: the state of being a preta (ghost)
• प्रेतत्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेतत्व (प्रातिपदिक; प्रेत+त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• दुःसहम्: hard to bear
• दुःसहम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःसह (प्रातिपदिक; दुर्+सह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of pretatvam)

• पुत्र: O son
• पुत्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• दुःसहा: hard to bear
• दुःसहा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःसह (प्रातिपदिक; दुर्+सह)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of yamayātanā)

• यमयातना: Yama’s torment/punishment
• यमयातना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम+यातना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (अव्यय; तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: हेतौ/तस्मात्-प्रयोगः; अव्यय (therefore/from that reason)

• पुत्र: O son
• पुत्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• कर्तव्यं: to be done/should be done
• कर्तव्यं: Vidhi (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (impersonal: 'should be done')

• सशल्यम्: defective/impure
• सशल्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सशल्य (प्रातिपदिक; स+शल्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of dvādaśīvratam)

• द्वादशीव्रतम्: the Dvādaśī vow/observance
• द्वादशीव्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी+व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (teacher/elder addressing 'putra')

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An elder instructs a son: the terror of preta-existence and Yama’s torments is contrasted with the careful, faultless observance of Dvādaśī-vrata in a sacred Dvārakā setting.

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Correct observance of vows is linked to auspicious afterlife outcomes; negligence invites severe consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, indirectly, as the chapter belongs to the Dvārakā Māhātmya centered on Kṛṣṇa’s dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Do not perform Dvādaśī vrata in a defective manner (saśalya); ensure proper tithi and discipline.