Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

एतस्मात्कारणादस्य महाकालस्य जागरम् । वर्षेवर्षे च वैशाख्यां करोमि द्विजसत्तमाः

Transliteration

etasmātkāraṇādasya mahākālasya jāgaram | varṣevarṣe ca vaiśākhyāṃ karomi dvijasattamāḥ

Translation

Pour cette raison, ô meilleurs des brahmanes, chaque année, au mois de Vaiśākha, j’accomplis la veille nocturne (jāgaraṇa) en l’honneur de Mahākāla.

Word by Word

• एतस्मात्: from this
• एतस्मात्: Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन (abl. sg.)

• कारणात्: because of the reason
• कारणात्: Apadana (Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन (abl. sg.)

• अस्य: of this (of him/it)
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (gen. sg.)

• महाकालस्य: of Mahākāla
• महाकालस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (gen. sg.); कर्मधारयः (‘महान् कालः’)

• जागरम्: vigil (night-wake)
• जागरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (acc. sg.)

• वर्षे: in a year
• वर्षे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (loc. sg.)

• वर्षे: (year)
• वर्षे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (loc. sg.); पुनरुक्ति (each year)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• वैशाख्याम्: in Vaiśākha
• वैशाख्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशाखी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (loc. sg.); मास-विशेष (in (the month of) Vaiśākha)

• करोमि: I do/perform
• करोमि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विजसत्तमाः: O best of twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजसत्तमाः: Sambodhana (Vocative address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (nom. pl.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयार्थ (‘द्विजानां सत्तमाः’ = best of Brahmins)

Speaker

Rājā (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahākāla

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-sattamāḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A temple night: devotees keep vigil before Mahākāla’s liṅga, lamps flicker, priests chant; the king and queen stand with folded hands, determined to remain awake through the night in Vaiśākha.

Characters & Entities

• Mahākāla
• Vaiśākha (month)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Gratitude expressed through regular vrata strengthens devotion; annual observance turns personal experience of grace into sustained dharmic practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Mahākāla temple setting central to this chapter’s Tīrthamāhātmya; the practice is tied to worship at/for Mahākāla.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performing Mahākāla jāgaraṇa (night vigil) every year specifically in the month of Vaiśākha.