Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

यः कुर्य्याज्जागरे विष्णोः शालिग्रामशिलाग्रतः । शालग्रामशिलाग्रे तु ये प्रकुर्वंति जागरम्

Transliteration

yaḥ kuryyājjāgare viṣṇoḥ śāligrāmaśilāgrataḥ | śālagrāmaśilāgre tu ye prakurvaṃti jāgaram

Translation

Wer die Nachtwache für Viṣṇu in Gegenwart des Śālagrāma‑Steins hält—ja, jene, die das nächtliche Wachen vor dem Śālagrāma‑Stein vollziehen—erlangen außergewöhnliches Verdienst.

Word by Word

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• कुर्यात्: should do / would perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• जागरे: in the vigil (night-wake)
• जागरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘जागरण’ अर्थे

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• शालिग्रामशिलाग्रतः: from/before the front of the Śālagrāma stone
• शालिग्रामशिलाग्रतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शालिग्राम-शिला-अग्र (प्रातिपदिक; घटकाः: शालिग्राम + शिला + अग्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; ‘...अग्रतः’ = ‘...अग्रात्/समक्षात्’ (from/before the front of)

• शालग्रामशिलाग्रे: at/on the front of the Śālagrāma stone
• शालग्रामशिलाग्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शालग्राम-शिला-अग्र (प्रातिपदिक; घटकाः: शालग्राम + शिला + अग्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (अग्र-शब्दः), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम

• प्रकुर्वन्ति: perform / do
• प्रकुर्वन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• जागरम्: vigil
• जागरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Dvārakā Māhātmya narrative style within Skanda Purāṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śālagrāma-sannidhāna (within Dvārakā vrata context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A small sanctified altar: Śālagrāma on a pedestal with tulasī leaves, lamps and flowers; devotees keep vigil through the night, reading scripture and singing; Viṣṇu’s presence suggested as a subtle aura above the stone.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Śālagrāma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion becomes more potent when anchored in a sacred presence—here, Viṣṇu worship before Śālagrāma during a night vigil.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader frame is Dvārakā Māhātmya; the verse also elevates the sanctity of Śālagrāma as a portable tirtha-like presence of Viṣṇu.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Viṣṇu-jāgaraṇa (night vigil) specifically in front of the Śālagrāma stone.