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Pradosh Vrat Katha: Text, Transliteration and Meaning

Katha · 18 verses · original in Sanskrit

About Pradosh Vrat Katha

The story from the Pradosh-mahatmya of the Skanda Purana: King Satyaratha of Vidarbha is killed in battle, and his queen gives birth to a son in the wilderness before a crocodile seizes her. Uma, a poor brahmin widow, told by Shiva in the guise of a mendicant, raises the prince (Dharmagupta) with her own son Shuchivrata. The sage Shandilya explains that their misfortune came from Pradosh worship abandoned in a past life, and teaches both boys to worship Shiva at Pradosh. While they keep it, the brahmin's son finds a treasure, and the prince marries the Gandharva maiden Amshumati and regains his kingdom. The main verses of the story are given here.

Text: Skanda Purana (Brahma Khanda, Brahmottara Khanda, ch. 6–7) (Puranic)

Meanings and summaries are editorial, written for this library from the cited edition.

Text and meaning

Skanda Purana 3.3.6.16

आसीद्विदर्भविषये नाम्ना सत्यरथो नृपः ।। सर्वधर्मरतो धीरः सुशीलः सत्यसंगरः ।। १६ ।।

āsīdvidarbhaviṣaye nāmnā satyaratho nṛpaḥ || sarvadharmarato dhīraḥ suśīlaḥ satyasaṃgaraḥ || 16 ||

In the land of Vidarbha there was a king named Satyaratha, devoted to every duty, steady, good-natured and true to his word.

Source: Skanda Purana 3 (Brahma Khanda), Brahmottara Khanda ch. 6, Sanskrit Wikisource, revision 68267, Brahmottara Khanda 6.16

Skanda Purana 3.3.6.22

विदर्भनृपतिः सोऽथ कृत्वा युद्धं सुदारुणम् ।। प्रनष्टोरुबलैः शाल्वैर्निहतो रणमूर्धनि ।। २२ ।।

vidarbhanṛpatiḥ so'tha kṛtvā yuddhaṃ sudāruṇam || pranaṣṭorubalaiḥ śālvairnihato raṇamūrdhani || 22 ||

After a fierce battle, the king of Vidarbha was killed at the front by the Shalvas.

Source: Skanda Purana 3 (Brahma Khanda), Brahmottara Khanda ch. 6, Sanskrit Wikisource, revision 68267, Brahmottara Khanda 6.22

Skanda Purana 3.3.6.29

तत्र दैववशाद्राज्ञी विजने तरुकुट्टिमे ।। असूत तनयं साध्वी मूहूर्ते सद्गुणान्विते ।। २९ ।।

tatra daivavaśādrājñī vijane tarukuṭṭime || asūta tanayaṃ sādhvī mūhūrte sadguṇānvite || 29 ||

There, by fate, in that lonely place beneath a tree, the virtuous queen gave birth to a son at an auspicious moment.

Source: Skanda Purana 3 (Brahma Khanda), Brahmottara Khanda ch. 6, Sanskrit Wikisource, revision 68267, Brahmottara Khanda 6.29

Skanda Purana 3.3.6.30

अथ सा राजमहिषी पिपासाभिहता भृशम् ।। सरोऽवतीर्णा चार्वंगी ग्रस्ता ग्राहेण भूयसा ।। ३.३.६.३० ।।

atha sā rājamahiṣī pipāsābhihatā bhṛśam || saro'vatīrṇā cārvaṃgī grastā grāheṇa bhūyasā || 3.3.6.30 ||

Then the queen, tormented by thirst, went down into the lake, and a huge crocodile seized her.

Source: Skanda Purana 3 (Brahma Khanda), Brahmottara Khanda ch. 6, Sanskrit Wikisource, revision 68267, Brahmottara Khanda 6.30

Skanda Purana 3.3.6.34

एकात्मजा बंधुहीना याञ्चामार्गवशंगता।। उमानाम द्विजसतीददर्श नृपनंदनम्।। ३४ ।।

ekātmajā baṃdhuhīnā yāñcāmārgavaśaṃgatā|| umānāma dvijasatīdadarśa nṛpanaṃdanam|| 34 ||

A brahmin woman named Uma, who had a single son, no relatives and lived by begging, saw the infant prince.

Source: Skanda Purana 3 (Brahma Khanda), Brahmottara Khanda ch. 6, Sanskrit Wikisource, revision 68267, Brahmottara Khanda 6.34

Skanda Purana 3.3.6.41

कश्चित्समाययौ भिक्षुः साक्षाद्देवः शिवः स्वयम् ॥ तामाह भिक्षुवर्योथ विप्रभामिनि मा खिदः ॥ ११ ॥

kaścitsamāyayau bhikṣuḥ sākṣāddevaḥ śivaḥ svayam || tāmāha bhikṣuvaryotha viprabhāmini mā khidaḥ || 11 ||

Just then a mendicant arrived, who was Lord Shiva himself. The great mendicant said to her: "Brahmin lady, do not be troubled."

Source: Skanda Purana 3 (Brahma Khanda), Brahmottara Khanda ch. 6, Sanskrit Wikisource, revision 68267, Brahmottara Khanda 6.41

Skanda Purana 3.3.6.44

तमर्भकं समादाय निजमेव गृहं ययौ ॥ भिक्षुवाक्येन विश्रब्धा सा राज तनयं सती ॥ ४४ ॥

tamarbhakaṃ samādāya nijameva gṛhaṃ yayau || bhikṣuvākyena viśrabdhā sā rāja tanayaṃ satī || 44 ||

She took the child to her own home; reassured by the mendicant's words, the good woman (raised) the prince (as her own son).

Source: Skanda Purana 3 (Brahma Khanda), Brahmottara Khanda ch. 6, Sanskrit Wikisource, revision 68267, Brahmottara Khanda 6.44

Skanda Purana 3.3.6.50

तौ दृष्ट्वा बालकौ धीमाञ्छांडिल्यो मुनिरब्रवीत् ॥ अहो दैवबलं चित्रमहो कर्म दुरत्ययम् ॥ ३.३.६.५० ॥

tau dṛṣṭvā bālakau dhīmāñchāṃḍilyo munirabravīt || aho daivabalaṃ citramaho karma duratyayam || 3.3.6.50 ||

Seeing the two boys, the wise sage Shandilya said: "How strange is the power of destiny; how hard it is to escape one's karma!"

Source: Skanda Purana 3 (Brahma Khanda), Brahmottara Khanda ch. 6, Sanskrit Wikisource, revision 68267, Brahmottara Khanda 6.50

Skanda Purana 3.3.6.62

स राजा सर्वधर्मज्ञः पालयन्सकलां महीम् ।। प्रदोषसमये शंभुं कदा चित्प्रत्यपूजयत् ।। ६२ ।।

sa rājā sarvadharmajñaḥ pālayansakalāṃ mahīm || pradoṣasamaye śaṃbhuṃ kadā citpratyapūjayat || 62 ||

(Shandilya said: in his past life, as king of the Pandyas,) that king knew every duty and ruled the whole earth; once, at Pradosh time, he was worshipping Shambhu.

Source: Skanda Purana 3 (Brahma Khanda), Brahmottara Khanda ch. 6, Sanskrit Wikisource, revision 68267, Brahmottara Khanda 6.62

Skanda Purana 3.3.6.67

स तथैव महीपालो विसृज्य शिवपूजनम् ।। असमाप्तात्मनियमश्चकार निशि भोजनम् ।। ६७ ।।

sa tathaiva mahīpālo visṛjya śivapūjanam || asamāptātmaniyamaścakāra niśi bhojanam || 67 ||

In this way that king abandoned Shiva's worship and, without completing his observance, ate a meal at night.

Source: Skanda Purana 3 (Brahma Khanda), Brahmottara Khanda ch. 6, Sanskrit Wikisource, revision 68267, Brahmottara Khanda 6.67

Skanda Purana 3.3.7.84

ततः प्रभृति तौ बालौ मुनिवर्योपदेशतः ।। प्रदोषे पार्वतीशस्य पूजां चक्रतुरंजसा ।। ८४ ।।

tataḥ prabhṛti tau bālau munivaryopadeśataḥ || pradoṣe pārvatīśasya pūjāṃ cakraturaṃjasā || 84 ||

From then on, as the great sage had taught, the two boys duly worshipped Parvati's lord at Pradosh.

Source: Skanda Purana 3 (Brahma Khanda), Brahmottara Khanda ch. 7, Sanskrit Wikisource, revision 68379, Brahmottara Khanda 7.84

Skanda Purana 3.3.7.87

तत्र निर्झरनिर्घातनिर्भिन्ने वप्र कुट्टिमे ।। निधानकलशं स्थूलं प्रस्फुरंतं ददर्श ह ।। ८७ ।।

tatra nirjharanirghātanirbhinne vapra kuṭṭime || nidhānakalaśaṃ sthūlaṃ prasphuraṃtaṃ dadarśa ha || 87 ||

There, in a bank cut away by a waterfall, (the brahmin's son) saw a large, gleaming pot of treasure.

Source: Skanda Purana 3 (Brahma Khanda), Brahmottara Khanda ch. 7, Sanskrit Wikisource, revision 68379, Brahmottara Khanda 7.87

Skanda Purana 3.3.7.120

अस्त्येको द्रविकोनाम गंधर्वाणां कुलाग्रणीः ॥ तस्याहमस्मि तनया नाम्ना चांशुमती स्मृता ॥ 3.3.7.१२० ॥

astyeko dravikonāma gaṃdharvāṇāṃ kulāgraṇīḥ || tasyāhamasmi tanayā nāmnā cāṃśumatī smṛtā || 3.3.7.120 ||

(The Gandharva maiden said:) "There is a Gandharva named Dravika, foremost of the Gandharva clans; I am his daughter, named Amshumati."

Source: Skanda Purana 3 (Brahma Khanda), Brahmottara Khanda ch. 7, Sanskrit Wikisource, revision 68379, Brahmottara Khanda 7.120

Skanda Purana 3.3.7.143

अत एनां प्रयच्छामि कन्यामंशुमतीं तव ।। हत्वा शत्रून्स्वराष्टे त्वां स्थापयामि शिवाज्ञया ।। ४३ ।।

ata enāṃ prayacchāmi kanyāmaṃśumatīṃ tava || hatvā śatrūnsvarāṣṭe tvāṃ sthāpayāmi śivājñayā || 43 ||

(The Gandharva king said:) "So I give you this maiden Amshumati, and by Shiva's command I will slay your enemies and set you in your own kingdom."

Source: Skanda Purana 3 (Brahma Khanda), Brahmottara Khanda ch. 7, Sanskrit Wikisource, revision 68379, Brahmottara Khanda 7.143

Skanda Purana 3.3.7.157

ततोभिषिक्तः सचिवैर्ब्राह्मणैश्च महोत्तमैः ।। रत्नसिंहासनारूढश्चक्रे राज्यमकण्टकम् ।। ५७ ।।

tatobhiṣiktaḥ sacivairbrāhmaṇaiśca mahottamaiḥ || ratnasiṃhāsanārūḍhaścakre rājyamakaṇṭakam || 57 ||

Then the ministers and eminent brahmins crowned him, and seated on the jewelled throne he ruled without any rival.

Source: Skanda Purana 3 (Brahma Khanda), Brahmottara Khanda ch. 7, Sanskrit Wikisource, revision 68379, Brahmottara Khanda 7.157

Skanda Purana 3.3.7.158

या विप्रवनिता पूर्वं तमपुष्णात्स्वपुत्रवत् ।। सैव माताभवत्तस्य स भ्राता द्विजनन्दनः ।। ५८ ।।

yā vipravanitā pūrvaṃ tamapuṣṇātsvaputravat || saiva mātābhavattasya sa bhrātā dvijanandanaḥ || 58 ||

The brahmin woman who had once raised him as her own son became his mother, and the brahmin's son became his brother.

Source: Skanda Purana 3 (Brahma Khanda), Brahmottara Khanda ch. 7, Sanskrit Wikisource, revision 68379, Brahmottara Khanda 7.158

Skanda Purana 3.3.7.159

गंधर्वतनया जाया विदर्भनगरेश्वरः ।। आराध्य देवं गिरिशं धर्मगुप्तो नृपोऽभवत् ।। ५९ ।।

gaṃdharvatanayā jāyā vidarbhanagareśvaraḥ || ārādhya devaṃ giriśaṃ dharmagupto nṛpo'bhavat || 59 ||

The Gandharva maiden became his wife, and by worshipping Girisha (Shiva), Dharmagupta became king and lord of Vidarbha.

Source: Skanda Purana 3 (Brahma Khanda), Brahmottara Khanda ch. 7, Sanskrit Wikisource, revision 68379, Brahmottara Khanda 7.159

Skanda Purana 3.3.7.160

एवमन्ये समाराध्य प्रदोषे गिरिजापतिम् ।। लभंतेभीप्सितान्कामान्देहांते तु परां गतिम् ।। 3.3.7.१६० ।।

evamanye samārādhya pradoṣe girijāpatim || labhaṃtebhīpsitānkāmāndehāṃte tu parāṃ gatim || 3.3.7.160 ||

In the same way, others who worship Girija's lord at Pradosh gain the wishes they long for, and at the body's end reach the highest state.

Source: Skanda Purana 3 (Brahma Khanda), Brahmottara Khanda ch. 7, Sanskrit Wikisource, revision 68379, Brahmottara Khanda 7.160

Sources and licence

The selected verses are copied character for character from the source pages. After verse 100, chapter 7 abbreviates its numbers ("3.3.7.१२०" for 120, but often only the last digit) and sometimes gets them wrong; the locators here give the full number counted in order. Verse 6.41 is marked "११" in the source. Verse 6.38 describes hesitation to touch the infant because his caste was unknown; it is not included. The Pradosh worship procedure is in the separate text "Pradosh Vrat". IAST is generated by a fixed rule.

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