Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

एवं ज्ञात्वा महाभागः पुरुषेण विजानता । दिवा तत्कर्म कर्तव्यं येन रात्रौ सुखं स्वपेत्

Transliteration

evaṃ jñātvā mahābhāgaḥ puruṣeṇa vijānatā | divā tatkarma kartavyaṃ yena rātrau sukhaṃ svapet

Translation

Dies erkennend soll der Begnadete und Einsichtige am Tage so handeln, dass er in der Nacht in Frieden schlafen kann.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)

• महाभागः: the fortunate one
• महाभागः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-भाग (प्रातिपदिक; महा + भाग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (महान् भागः यस्य/महाभागः)

• पुरुषेण: by a man
• पुरुषेण: Kartr-sahakari/Hetu (Agent-instrument/कर्ता-सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• विजानता: by one who understands
• विजानता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण (by one who knows/discerns)

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb of time: by day)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (that)

• कर्म: deed/work
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कर्तव्यम्: should be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय (gerundive: 'to be done')

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun: by which)

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• सुखम्: comfortably/with ease
• सुखम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial accusative/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (accusative used adverbially)

• स्वपेत्: may sleep
• स्वपेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Atithi (inferred)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim completes daytime duties—offering at a shrine, giving alms—then lies down at night under a calm sky, sleeping peacefully; the contrast with restless craving is implied.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Live with discernment and integrity so the conscience is calm and sleep becomes peaceful.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The counsel is delivered within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra-māhātmya setting of the Nāgara-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it prescribes dhārmic conduct as a daily discipline.