Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 91

Devanagari script

एवं संपूज्य विधिवज्जागरं तत्र कारयेत् । गीतवादित्रशब्देननरनारीकदंबकम् । नृत्यद्धसन्नयेद्रात्रिं नृत्यशास्त्रविशारदैः

Transliteration

evaṃ saṃpūjya vidhivajjāgaraṃ tatra kārayet | gītavāditraśabdenanaranārīkadaṃbakam | nṛtyaddhasannayedrātriṃ nṛtyaśāstraviśāradaiḥ

Translation

Nachdem man so vorschriftsgemäß verehrt hat, soll man dort eine Nachtwache (jāgara) veranstalten. Beim Klang von Gesang und Instrumenten soll eine Schar von Männern und Frauen die Nacht tanzend und fröhlich verbringen, angeführt von Kundigen der Tanzlehre.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of manner)

• संपूज्य: having duly worshipped
• संपूज्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having fully worshipped)

• विधिवत्: according to rule, properly
• विधिवत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb)

• जागरम्: night vigil, wakefulness ceremony
• जागरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• कारयेत्: should arrange/should have (it) performed
• कारयेत्: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद (should cause to be done/should arrange)

• गीतवादित्रशब्देन: by the sound of songs and instruments
• गीतवादित्रशब्देन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत + वादित्र + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Singular); समासः—गीतस्य वादित्रस्य च शब्दः (sound of song and instruments)

• नरनारीकदंबकम्: a group of men and women
• नरनारीकदंबकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + नारी + कदम्बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular); समासः—नराणां नारीणां च कदम्बकः (a group of men and women)

• नृत्यत्: dancing
• नृत्यत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नृत् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle); प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन नपुंसकवत् प्रयोगे (as participial qualifier)

• हसन्: laughing
• हसन्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle); प्रथमा एकवचन (as participial qualifier)

• नयेत्: should pass/should spend (the time)
• नयेत्: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद (should lead/pass)

• रात्रिम्: the night
• रात्रिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• नृत्यशास्त्रविशारदैः: by experts in the science of dance
• नृत्यशास्त्रविशारदैः: Karaṇa / Sahakārī (Instrument/Agent-associate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृत्यशास्त्र + विशारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural); समासः—नृत्यशास्त्रे विशारदाः (experts in dance-treatise)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A temple courtyard at night in Prabhāsa: lamps blazing, men and women gathered in a circle, musicians with drums and cymbals, dancers guided by nṛtya-śāstra experts, the shrine glowing in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Sāvitrī
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhakti becomes communal and embodied—devotional vigilance, song, and disciplined celebration sustain remembrance of the divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, as the venue where the jāgaraṇa is to be performed after worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Conducting a jāgaraṇa (night vigil) with devotional singing, instrumental music, and dance by trained performers.