Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

रात्रौ जागरणं कृत्वा पठेत्पौराणिकीं कथाम् । ततः प्रभाते विमले स्नानं कुर्याद्यथाविधि

Transliteration

rātrau jāgaraṇaṃ kṛtvā paṭhetpaurāṇikīṃ kathām | tataḥ prabhāte vimale snānaṃ kuryādyathāvidhi

Translation

Après avoir veillé toute la nuit, qu’on récite un récit sacré des Purāṇa. Puis, à l’aube immaculée, qu’on accomplisse le bain prescrit selon le rite.

Word by Word

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (वैदिक/प्रयोगभेदेन रूपम्)

• जागरणम्: keeping vigil
• जागरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund)

• पठेत्: should recite/read
• पठेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पौराणिकीम्: purāṇic
• पौराणिकीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पौराणिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कथाम्)

• कथाम्: story/discourse
• कथाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequence/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तर (then/thereafter)

• प्रभाते: in the morning
• प्रभाते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• विमले: pure/clear
• विमले: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (प्रभाते)

• स्नानम्: bath
• स्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यथाविधि: according to rule
• यथाविधि: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (deduced from Revā Khaṇḍa narrative continuity)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Siddheśvara (implied)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The king/Bhārata addressee

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night on the riverbank: pilgrims sit around oil lamps listening to a storyteller recite Purāṇic kathā; stars above, the Narmadā glimmers. At dawn, the same group descends the ghat into misty, ‘vimala’ waters for a rule-bound bath.

Characters & Entities

• Jāgaraṇa (night vigil)
• Purāṇic kathā
• Snāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage merit is intensified by disciplined observance—vigil, sacred listening/recitation, and a rule-bound dawn bath.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ongoing context is a Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha in the Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Night-long jāgaraṇa, recitation of Purāṇic kathā, and a yathāvidhi (scripturally prescribed) bath at dawn.