Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

ततः संसेव्यते हृष्टै राक्षसैः सा दिवानिशम् । गीतनृत्यपरैश्चान्यैर्भूतैः प्रेतैः पिशाचकैः

Transliteration

tataḥ saṃsevyate hṛṣṭai rākṣasaiḥ sā divāniśam | gītanṛtyaparaiścānyairbhūtaiḥ pretaiḥ piśācakaiḥ

Translation

Daraufhin wurde jener Ort Tag und Nacht von erfreuten Rākṣasas aufgesucht, ebenso von anderen Wesen, die Gesang und Tanz ergeben sind—Bhūtas, Pretas und Piśācas.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/सम्बन्धबोधक), अर्थे: तस्मात्/अनन्तरम् (thereafter/from that)

• संसेव्यते: is attended/served
• संसेव्यते: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+सेव् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (Passive), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular)

• हृष्टैः: by the delighted
• हृष्टैः: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental, 3rd), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (by/with the delighted)

• राक्षसैः: by the demons
• राक्षसैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental, 3rd), बहुवचनम्

• सा: she
• सा: Karma (Patient/that which is served)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative, 1st), एकवचनम्

• दिवानिशम्: day and night
• दिवानिशम्: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा + निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial), अर्थे: अहोरात्रम् (day and night)

• गीतनृत्यपरैः: by those devoted to song and dance
• गीतनृत्यपरैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गीत (प्रातिपदिक) + नृत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्—गीत-नृत्ये पराः (devoted to song and dance)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय-बोधक conjunction)

• अन्यैः: by other
• अन्यैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (other)

• भूतैः: by spirits (bhūtas)
• भूतैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• प्रेतैः: by ghosts (pretas)
• प्रेतैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• पिशाचकैः: by goblins (piśācakas)
• पिशाचकैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moonlit riverbank/forest-edge where rākṣasas and preta-bhūtas gather in ecstatic song and dance, circling a darkened watercourse; the atmosphere is festive yet ominous.

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasas
• Bhūtas
• Pretas
• Piśācas
• Sarasvatī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When sacred order is disrupted, impure influences gather; dharma and purity are portrayed as protective boundaries for tīrthas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Sarasvatī-tīra context—its sanctity highlighted by contrast with the ensuing demonic infestation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse sets the scene for later remedial or relocation actions.