Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

तावत्पापानि गर्जंति तावद्बिभेति पातकी । यावन्न विहितो भास्वान्दीपो नारायणालये

Transliteration

tāvatpāpāni garjaṃti tāvadbibheti pātakī | yāvanna vihito bhāsvāndīpo nārāyaṇālaye

Translation

Aussi longtemps les péchés rugissent et le pécheur tremble, jusqu’à ce que la lampe éclatante soit dûment placée dans le sanctuaire de Nārāyaṇa.

Word by Word

• तावत्: so long; until then
• तावत्: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (काल/परिमाण-निर्देशक), अर्थे—‘तावद्/तावत्कालम्’ (so long/that long)

• पापानि: sins
• पापानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• गर्जन्ति: roar; thunder
• गर्जन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• तावत्: so long
• तावत्: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (काल-निर्देशक) ‘तावत्कालम्’

• बिभेति: fears
• बिभेति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातोः ‘भी’ (to fear)

• पातकी: the sinner
• पातकी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘पातकी’ = पापकर्ता (sinner)

• यावत्: as long as; until
• यावत्: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (यावत्-तावत् सम्बन्धे), अर्थे—‘यावद्/यावत्कालम्’ (as long as)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negative particle)

• विहितः: is placed; is installed
• विहितः: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु) → विहित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः—‘स्थापितः/कृतः’ (having been placed/ordained)

• भास्वान्: shining
• भास्वान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भास्वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (shining)

• दीपः: lamp
• दीपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नारायणालये: in the temple of Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणालये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘नारायणस्य आलयः’ (abode/temple of Nārāyaṇa)

Speaker

Contextual: Brahmā (Brahmā–Nārada Saṃvāda)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nārāyaṇa-ālaya (as a merit-field rather than a named tīrtha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A trembling sinner approaches a Nārāyaṇa temple at night; shadowy forms (sins) ‘roar’ like dark clouds; as the lamp is set and lit, the shadows retreat and the devotee’s posture relaxes into peace.

Characters & Entities

• Nārāyaṇa
• Dīpa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When devotion is expressed through temple lamp-lighting, the oppressive force of sin is subdued and fear is dispelled.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse speaks broadly of the Nārāyaṇa temple within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra māhātmya narrative setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Duly place/light a radiant lamp in Nārāyaṇa’s temple.