Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

उद्यापनविधिश्चात्र नृभिर्द्विजपुरस्सरम् । अग्रे चंद्रहरेश्चन्द्र सहस्रव्रतसंज्ञकः

Transliteration

udyāpanavidhiścātra nṛbhirdvijapurassaram | agre caṃdrahareścandra sahasravratasaṃjñakaḥ

Translation

此处亦宣说誓愿圆满之仪（udyāpana），应由众人奉行，并以婆罗门居于前列为先。其首要者，为奉敬月主之“千月誓”（Candra-sahasra Vrata）。

Word by Word

• उद्यापनविधिः: the rite/procedure of concluding (a vow)
• उद्यापनविधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्यापन + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (उद्यापनस्य विधिः)

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

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

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

• द्विजपुरस्सरम्: with Brahmins leading/in the forefront
• द्विजपुरस्सरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विज + पुरस्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुष (द्विजाः पुरस्सराः यस्य—‘with Brahmins in front’)

• अग्रे: in front, first
• अग्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (adverbial locative: “in front/first”)

• चन्द्रहरेः: of Candrahari (proper name/epithet)
• चन्द्रहरेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रहरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (चन्द्रः हरिः इव/चन्द्र-हरिः—नामविशेषः)

• चन्द्रः: Candra (the Moon / a person named Candra)
• चन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सहस्रव्रतसंज्ञकः: called ‘Sahasra-vrata’ (thousand-vow)
• सहस्रव्रतसंज्ञकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र + व्रत + संज्ञक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुष (सहस्रव्रत-इति संज्ञा यस्य)

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced; Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa discourse style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā-kṣetra (as venue for vrata-udyāpana)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual hall in Ayodhyā: householders and pilgrims arrange an udyāpana ceremony; brāhmaṇas seated foremost; a Candra emblem (crescent, moon-disc) presides as the vow’s deity-focus.

Characters & Entities

• Candra (Moon)
• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vows should be completed properly with udyāpana, honoring brāhmaṇas and following ordained procedure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching occurs within Ayodhyā Māhātmya, implying Ayodhyā as the setting for such vrata-rites.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Udyāpana (formal concluding rite) led by brāhmaṇas, and the initiation/priority of the Candra-sahasra Vrata.