Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

वर्षेवर्षे समाश्रित्य शिवरात्रौ प्रजागरात् । उपवासपरोभूत्वा गीतवादित्रनिःस्वनैः

Transliteration

varṣevarṣe samāśritya śivarātrau prajāgarāt | upavāsaparobhūtvā gītavāditraniḥsvanaiḥ

Translation

Jahr um Jahr, in der Nacht der Śivarātri, hielt er die ganze Nacht hindurch die Vigil—dem Fasten hingegeben—während Gesang und Instrumentenklang widerhallten.

Word by Word

• वर्षे: in a year
• वर्षे: Adhikarana (Location/time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• वर्षे: year after year
• वर्षे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (reduplication)

• समाश्रित्य: having observed, having taken refuge in
• समाश्रित्य: Kriya (Adverbial action/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; ‘having resorted to/observing’

• शिवरात्रौ: on Śivarātri
• शिवरात्रौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य रात्रिः)

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

• उपवासपरः: devoted to fasting
• उपवासपरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (उपवासे परः = devoted to fasting)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriya (Adverbial action/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; ‘having become’

• गीतवादित्रनिःस्वनैः: with the sounds of songs and musical instruments
• गीतवादित्रनिःस्वनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत (प्रातिपदिक) + वादित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + निःस्वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (sounds of songs and instruments)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vibrant Śivarātri night in the temple courtyard: devotees fasting, staying awake, singing; drums, cymbals, and vīṇā-like instruments; lamps and garlands; the liṅga sanctum glowing in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Śivarātri

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Consistent yearly observance strengthens devotion; fasting and vigil become joyful when filled with bhakti through sacred sound.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The observance is linked to the previously mentioned liṅga-temple; the site’s sanctity is reinforced through repeated annual worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Annual Śivarātri observance with upavāsa (fasting), prajāgaraṇa (vigil), and devotional singing/instrumental music.