Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

श्वपचा जागरं कृत्वा पदं निर्वाणमागताः । किं पुनर्वर्णसंभूताः सदाचारपरास्तथा

Transliteration

śvapacā jāgaraṃ kṛtvā padaṃ nirvāṇamāgatāḥ | kiṃ punarvarṇasaṃbhūtāḥ sadācāraparāstathā

Translation

Even those born among the despised (such as dog-cookers), having kept the vigil, have reached the state of nirvāṇa; how much more, then, those born within the social orders who are devoted to good conduct.

Word by Word

• śvapacāḥ: dog-cookers; outcastes
• śvapacāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śvapaca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• jāgaram: a vigil; wakefulness (rite of staying awake)
• jāgaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• kṛtvā: having performed
• kṛtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Absolutive/Gerund), ‘having done’

• padam: state; abode; goal
• padam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• nirvāṇam: liberation; extinction (nirvāṇa)
• nirvāṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirvāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• āgatāḥ: have attained; have reached
• āgatāḥ: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā√gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), बहुवचन; क्रियापदवत् ‘have reached’

• kim: what?
• kim: Prayojaka/Interrogative (Question word)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; ‘what then?’

• punar: then; moreover
• punar: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनरर्थक (again/further), प्रश्ने बलवर्धक

• varṇa-saṃbhūtāḥ: those born in the (recognized) varṇas
• varṇa-saṃbhūtāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃbhūta (कृदन्त, √bhū धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘varṇasya saṃbhūtāḥ’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), बहुवचन

• sadācāra-parāḥ: devoted to good conduct
• sadācāra-parāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sadācāra (प्रातिपदिक) + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपपद/निर्देश: ‘sadācāre parāḥ’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), बहुवचन

• tathā: likewise; so
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (thus/in that way)

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nareśvara (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An outcaste devotee, humble and earnest, keeps vigil with lamps and song; divine light lifts him toward nirvāṇa; beside him, ‘sadācāra’ householders join—message: grace is open to all.

Characters & Entities

• Nirvāṇa
• Jāgaraṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sincere devotional practice (jāgaraṇa) is portrayed as powerful enough to grant liberation irrespective of birth, especially when joined with right conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, within the Dvārakā Māhātmya section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performing jāgaraṇa (staying awake in devotion), implying worship, remembrance, and praise of Hari through the night.