Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

वीक्षमाणो दिशः सर्वा नारीनिष्क्रामणोद्भवाः । चौरकर्मप्रवृत्तस्य शीतार्तस्य विशेषतः

Transliteration

vīkṣamāṇo diśaḥ sarvā nārīniṣkrāmaṇodbhavāḥ | caurakarmapravṛttasya śītārtasya viśeṣataḥ

Translation

Er hielt nach allen Himmelsrichtungen Ausschau, lauerte auf Frauen, die aus dem Bezirk herausträten; in das Werk eines Diebes verstrickt und besonders vom Frost gequält, blieb er wachsam.

Word by Word

• वीक्षमाणः: looking/observing
• वीक्षमाणः: Kartṛ (Agent, participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√ईक्ष् (धातु) + शानच् (शतृ/वर्तमानकृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present participle); पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्तरि (while looking)

• दिशः: directions
• दिशः: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन (Accusative plural)

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन; विशेषण (all)

• नारी-निष्क्रामण-उद्भवाः: arising from women’s exit/appearance
• नारी-निष्क्रामण-उद्भवाः: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक) + निष्क्रामण (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी/सप्तमी-सम्बन्धार्थः): ‘नारीणां निष्क्रामणात् उद्भवाः’; पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचन; विशेषण (arising from women’s coming out)

• चौर-कर्म-प्रवृत्तस्य: of (him) engaged in thieving
• चौर-कर्म-प्रवृत्तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चौर (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवृत्त (प्रातिपदिक; √वृत् क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास: ‘चौरकर्मणि प्रवृत्त’ (engaged in thieving); पुंलिङ्ग षष्ठी एकवचन; सम्बन्धे (of the one engaged...)

• शीत-आर्तस्य: of (him) distressed by cold
• शीत-आर्तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीत (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास: ‘शीतेन आर्त’ (afflicted by cold); पुंलिङ्ग षष्ठी एकवचन

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तसिल्)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (especially)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; traditionally Sūta)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A shivering thief hidden in a tree, scanning the temple exits; breath visible in cold air; below, devotees’ lamps and songs continue through the night.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic motif emerges: even involuntary wakefulness on Śivarātri, in a sacred environment, can become spiritually significant.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The temple precinct of Śiva where the vigil is observed; the narrative emphasizes the sanctity of being near the shrine on Śivarātri.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Jāgaraṇa (staying awake), shown here as occurring incidentally due to vigilance and cold.