Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 106

Devanagari script

कामिभिः कामिनीलोकैः प्रियोक्तैरभिवां छिता । असत्स्त्रीभिर्विशेषेण संप्राप्ता रजनी ततः

Transliteration

kāmibhiḥ kāminīlokaiḥ priyoktairabhivāṃ chitā | asatstrībhirviśeṣeṇa saṃprāptā rajanī tataḥ

Translation

ثم أقبل الليل—ليلٌ يشتاق إليه أهل الشهوة من الرجال وجماعات النساء المتبرّجات، ويُطلب لما فيه من كلماتٍ عذبةٍ مُغوية، ولا سيّما من النساء سيئات السلوك.

Word by Word

• कामिभिः: by/with lustful men
• कामिभिः: Karana/Agent-like (Instrument/agentive accompaniment/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāmin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन

• कामिनीलोकैः: by groups of amorous women
• कामिनीलोकैः: Karana/Agent-like (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāminī (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (कामिनीनां लोकैः = by groups of amorous women)

• प्रियोक्तैः: with pleasing words
• प्रियोक्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक) + ukta (कृदन्त; √vac)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे); तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (प्रियाणि उक्तानि)

• अभिवाञ्छिता: desired
• अभिवाञ्छिता: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhi+√vāñch (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘रजनी’ इत्यस्य विशेषण (desired/longed for)

• असत्स्त्रीभिः: by immoral women
• असत्स्त्रीभिः: Karana/Agent-like (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asat (प्रातिपदिक) + strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (असत्याः/दुष्टाः स्त्रियः)

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial instrumental: “especially”)

• संप्राप्ता: arrived
• संप्राप्ता: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam+√prāp (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘रजनी’ इत्यस्य विधेय (has arrived)

• रजनी: night
• रजनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ततः: thereupon
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequence marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक/तस्मात्-अर्थक (then/thereupon)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa style narration within Māhātmya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night descends over the pilgrimage camp; in the distance, shadowy figures seek pleasure and whispering trysts, contrasted with the quiet, lamp-lit austerity of sages.

Characters & Entities

• rajanī (night)
• kāmī (lustful person)
• asatstrī (unvirtuous woman)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Night can become a cover for desire and moral lapse; the verse cautions the traveller and seeker to maintain self-control.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as ethical narration within the broader Tīrthamāhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed here; it serves as a dharmic warning about the temptations associated with night.