Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

पितामहेन तुष्टेन तत्र पूजामवाप्स्यथ । यूयं रात्रौ च संज्ञाभिर्हास्यपूर्वाभिरेव च

Transliteration

pitāmahena tuṣṭena tatra pūjāmavāpsyatha | yūyaṃ rātrau ca saṃjñābhirhāsyapūrvābhireva ca

Translation

Dort, wenn der Großvater (Brahmā) zufrieden ist, werdet ihr Verehrung empfangen. Und auch in der Nacht wird man sich euch durch verabredete Zeichen nähern, wobei Lachen den Auftakt bildet.

Word by Word

• पितामहेन: by Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• पितामहेन: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तुष्टेन: being pleased
• तुष्टेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from तुष् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण (satisfied)

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

• पूजाम्: worship, honor
• पूजाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अवाप्स्यथ: you will obtain
• अवाप्स्यथ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव+आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• यूयम्: you (all)
• यूयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

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

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• संज्ञाभिः: by signals, by signs
• संज्ञाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• हास्यपूर्वाभिः: preceded by laughter
• हास्यपूर्वाभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हास्य + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (हास्यं पूर्वं यस्याः/येषाम्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; संज्ञाभिः इति विशेषण

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (addressing devīs/guardian powers within the city-māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple/kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devīs

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A night-time worship scene: devīs approached through subtle agreed signs; laughter precedes the encounter; Brahmā’s pleased presence is suggested as a blessing above the shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worship becomes fruitful when the divine is pleased; sacred traditions may include time-bound (night) observances governed by proper decorum.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse contributes to the Nāgarakhaṇḍa city-sthala glorification; the immediate focus is on worship within the sacred settlement rather than a named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It indicates night-time approach/worship using recognized signs (saṃjñā) and a prescribed demeanor (laughter as prelude).