Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

उपवासप्रभावेन बलादपि प्रजागरात् । शिवरात्रेस्तथा तस्य लिङ्गस्यापि प्रपूजया

Transliteration

upavāsaprabhāvena balādapi prajāgarāt | śivarātrestathā tasya liṅgasyāpi prapūjayā

Translation

Durch die Kraft des Fastens, durch das nächtliche Wachen (selbst wenn er dazu gedrängt wurde) und durch die vollkommene Verehrung jenes Liṅga in der Nacht der Śivarātri—

Word by Word

• उपवासप्रभावेन: by the power of fasting
• उपवासप्रभावेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (उपवासस्य प्रभावः)

• बलात्: by force, forcibly
• बलात्: Hetu/Prayojana (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘बलात्’ = ‘forcibly/by force’ (idiomatic)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अपि-अर्थ (also/even)

• प्रजागरात्: from/through the night vigil
• प्रजागरात्: Apadana/Hetu (Source/Cause/अपादान-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र-जा-गर्/जागृ (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; ‘प्रजागर’ (night-vigil)

• शिवरात्रेः: of Śivarātri
• शिवरात्रेः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य रात्रिः)

• तथा: likewise, and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/प्रकारार्थक (likewise/and also)

• तस्य: of that, his
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• लिङ्गस्य: of the liṅga
• लिङ्गस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अपि-अर्थ (also/even)

• प्रपूजया: by (special) worship
• प्रपूजया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र-पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; ‘प्रपूजा’ (special worship)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee before a sanctified liṅga on Śivarātri: lamps burning, offerings arranged, the devotee fasting and keeping vigil through the night, the atmosphere charged with austerity and devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Śivarātri
• Śiva-liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śivarātri disciplines—fasting, vigil, and liṅga worship—carry transformative merit, capable of uplifting even imperfect practitioners.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A particular Śiva-liṅga tied to the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya is being praised; the emphasis is on the liṅga’s sanctity on Śivarātri.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upavāsa (fasting), prajāgaraṇa (night vigil), and prapūjā (full worship) of the Śiva-liṅga on Śivarātri.