Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

पंचरात्रं वसिष्यामो वयं तत्र समाहिताः । तस्माद्वह्निषु दारेषु रक्षा कार्या स्वशक्तितः

Transliteration

paṃcarātraṃ vasiṣyāmo vayaṃ tatra samāhitāḥ | tasmādvahniṣu dāreṣu rakṣā kāryā svaśaktitaḥ

Translation

“We shall dwell there, composed and intent, for five nights; therefore, to the best of your ability, ensure protection regarding the sacred fires and the household (wives).”

Word by Word

• पञ्चरात्रम्: for five nights
• पञ्चरात्रम्: Kala-adhikarana (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañca + rātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कालपरिमाणवाचक (duration)

• वसिष्यामः: we shall stay
• वसिष्यामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vas (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: 'there')

• समाहिताः: composed, attentive
• समाहिताः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-√dhā (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (state: composed/collected)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इत्यव्ययप्रयोगः (ablatival adverb: 'therefore/from that')

• वह्निषु: in the fires
• वह्निषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• दारेषु: in/among the wives (women of the household)
• दारेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāra (प्रातिपदिक; pluralia tantum)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• रक्षा: protection/guarding
• रक्षा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• कार्या: must be done
• कार्या: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-अर्थे क्तव्य-भाव (gerundive/obligative adjective), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be done)

• स्वशक्तितः: according to one’s ability
• स्वशक्तितः: Upaya (Means/उपाय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sva + śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'according to/from one's power')

Speaker

Narrator-embedded speech (a group of dvijas/munis addressing a householder/guardian figure in the story context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Puṣkara (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims preparing to depart: one elder instructs caretakers to guard the sacred fire altar and the household; a calm but serious domestic scene with ritual implements and protective gestures.

Characters & Entities

• Kārttika observance (implied)
• Sacred fires (vahni)
• Household/wives (dāra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage discipline includes practical dharma: safeguarding sacred fires and protecting the household while undertaking holy observances.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ongoing context remains the Puṣkara-traya pilgrimage site mentioned in the preceding verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pañcarātra-vāsa (a five-night stay) undertaken with samāhita-bhāva (focused religious intent).