Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

उषित्वा रजनीं तत्र द्विरात्रं वा पुनर्गृहम् । समागच्छंति चान्ये तु त्रिरात्रेण समाययुः

Transliteration

uṣitvā rajanīṃ tatra dvirātraṃ vā punargṛham | samāgacchaṃti cānye tu trirātreṇa samāyayuḥ

Translation

Nachdem sie dort eine Nacht — oder zwei Nächte — verweilt hatten, kehrten einige nach Hause zurück; andere jedoch kamen erst nach drei Nächten wieder.

Word by Word

• उषित्वा: having stayed
• उषित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); धातु: वस् (निवासे) — रूपम्: उषित्वा

• रजनीम्: a night
• रजनीम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (there)

• द्विरात्रम्: two nights (a two-night stay)
• द्विरात्रम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (संख्या) + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (द्वे रात्रे यस्य/द्विरात्रम् = two nights as a period); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात (or)

• पुनः: again, back
• पुनः: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्तिवाचक (again/back)

• गृहम्: home
• गृहम्: Karman (Goal/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• समागच्छन्ति: they return, come back
• समागच्छन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; धातु: गम् (गत्यर्थे), उपसर्ग: सम्+आ

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• तु: but, however
• तु: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (but/indeed)

• त्रिरात्रेण: within/by three nights
• त्रिरात्रेण: Adhikarana/Instrument (Time measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि रात्राणि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कालपरिमाणवाचक (by/within three nights)

• समाययुः: they came/returned
• समाययुः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; धातु: या (गत्यर्थे), उपसर्ग: सम्+आ

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims camp near the tīrtha under trees or in a dharmaśālā: some depart after one night, others after two, others complete three nights—marked by dawn rituals and farewell salutations to the water.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even short residence at a sacred place—measured in nights—forms part of tīrtha discipline and devotional observance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse describes staying at “that” tīrtha without naming it.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A regulated stay at the tīrtha (one-night, two-night, or three-night residence), implying observance and restraint during the visit.