Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

कच्चिद्भर्तरि संसुप्ते त्वं निशवशमेष्यसि । उत्थानमप्रबुद्धे च करोषि वरवर्णिनि

Transliteration

kaccidbhartari saṃsupte tvaṃ niśavaśameṣyasi | utthānamaprabuddhe ca karoṣi varavarṇini

Translation

“When your husband has fallen asleep, do you then retire for the night? And before he has awakened, O fair-complexioned one, do you rise up (to begin your duties)?”

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: whether (I ask)
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

• भर्तरि: when/while (your) husband
• भर्तरि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• संसुप्ते: (being) fast asleep
• संसुप्ते: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + स्वप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकाले क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; भर्तरि इति विशेषणम्

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• निशा: night
• निशा: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• वशम्: under the sway of night (i.e., at nightfall)
• वशम्: Gati/Karma (Goal/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (निशायाः वशः/वशम्)

• एष्यसि: will go/approach
• एष्यसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• उत्थानम्: rising/getting up
• उत्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• अप्रबुद्धे: when (he is) not awake
• अप्रबुद्धे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + प्रबुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (प्रबुद्धः न)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• करोषि: you do/perform
• करोषि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• वर: excellent
• वर: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• वर्णिनि: O fair-complexioned one
• वर्णिनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्णिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (वरा वर्णिनी)

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic voice within Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A domestic night-to-dawn vignette: the husband asleep; the woman waits to retire, then rises before dawn to begin duties, embodying disciplined service.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Discipline and attentive service in daily rhythms are presented as expressions of dharma within household life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in this verse; it is household instruction embedded in the broader tīrtha-māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A disciplined daily regimen (sleeping and rising at appropriate times) is advised rather than a formal ritual.