Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

सपञ्चवर्तिकान् दीपान् घृतेनोज्ज्वाल्य भक्तितः । पुराणश्रवणैर्नृत्यैर्गीतवाद्यैः सुमङ्गलैः

Transliteration

sapañcavartikān dīpān ghṛtenojjvālya bhaktitaḥ | purāṇaśravaṇairnṛtyairgītavādyaiḥ sumaṅgalaiḥ

Translation

In Hingabe zünde man Ghee-Lampen mit fünf Dochten an; (so halte man die Nachtwache) durch das Hören der Purāṇas, durch Tänze sowie durch glückverheißenden Gesang und Instrumentalmusik.

Word by Word

• स: with
• स: Sambandha (Association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश/सह-अर्थक अव्यय (with)

• पञ्चवर्तिकान्: having five wicks
• पञ्चवर्तिकान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival to object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्तिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (दीपान्)

• दीपान्: lamps
• दीपान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• घृतेन: with ghee
• घृतेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• उज्ज्वाल्य: having lit
• उज्ज्वाल्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्+ज्वल् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having kindled)

• भक्तितः: devoutly
• भक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: ‘from/with devotion’)

• पुराणश्रवणैः: by listening to Purāṇas
• पुराणश्रवणैः: Karaṇa (Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• नृत्यैः: by dances
• नृत्यैः: Karaṇa (Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• गीतवाद्यैः: by songs and musical instruments
• गीतवाद्यैः: Karaṇa (Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत (प्रातिपदिक) + वाद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (song and instruments)

• सुमङ्गलैः: with auspicious (acts)
• सुमङ्गलैः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifying means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/प्रत्ययार्थ) + मङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (गीतवाद्यैः/कर्माणि)

Speaker

Śiva (deduced from adhyāya context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pañcavarāha-tīrtha (Revā-taṭa)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ājamīḍha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night at the riverbank: devotees light five-wicked ghee lamps; a reciter chants Purāṇa stories; dancers and musicians perform auspicious devotional pieces as the vigil continues.

Characters & Entities

• Dīpa (lamp)
• Purāṇa-śravaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is expressed through sacred light and sacred sound—worship becomes a joyous, dharmic celebration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Pañca-Varāha/Revā tīrtha setting where the prescribed vigil is to be observed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Light five-wicked ghee lamps and observe vigil with Purāṇa recitation/listening, dance, and auspicious singing with instruments.