Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

चकोरश्चंद्रिकाभोक्ता नक्तव्रतमिवास्थितः । पठंति सारिकाः सारं शुकं संबोधयत्यहो

Transliteration

cakoraścaṃdrikābhoktā naktavratamivāsthitaḥ | paṭhaṃti sārikāḥ sāraṃ śukaṃ saṃbodhayatyaho

Translation

وطائرُ التشاكورا، يرتشفُ ضياءَ القمر، يمكثُ كأنه قائمٌ بنذرِ الليل. وتُرتّلُ طيورُ المينا جوهرَ الكلام، ويا للعجب: يُعلِّمُ الببغاءُ كأنه مُرشدٌ للسانِ والمعرفة.

Word by Word

• चकोरः: the cakora bird
• चकोरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चकोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

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

• चन्द्रिकाभोक्ता: enjoyer of moonlight
• चन्द्रिकाभोक्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रिका + भोक्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (चन्द्रिकायाः भोक्ता = moonlight-enjoyer); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• नक्तव्रतम्: a night-vow/fast
• नक्तव्रतम्: Upamana (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्त + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नक्तं व्रतम् = night-vow/fast); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• इव: like/as if
• इव: Sambandha (Comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• आस्थितः: has assumed/is observing
• आस्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+स्था (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘स्थितः/आस्थितः’

• पठन्ति: recite/read
• पठन्ति: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• सारिकाः: mynah birds
• सारिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• सारम्: essence/best part
• सारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• शुकम्: parrot
• शुकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• संबोधयति: addresses/awakens/calls
• संबोधयति: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अहो: ah!/oh!
• अहो: Sambandha (Exclamation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मयादिबोधक-निपात (exclamatory particle)

Speaker

Narrator/teacher voice (contextual speaker not explicit in this verse; within Dharmāraṇya Māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Moonlit grove: a cakora gazes upward ‘drinking’ moonbeams; mynas appear as if chanting; a parrot perched like a teacher addresses attentive listeners; the scene blends naturalism with allegory of learning and vows.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmāraṇya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The holy place is so dharmic that even nature appears to practice vows and transmit ‘essence-teaching’—a sign of pervasive sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya, whose atmosphere is portrayed as filled with vrata-like discipline and wisdom.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse alludes to naktavrata (night-vow) as a metaphor for disciplined living.