Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

यः कुर्य्याज्जागरे विष्णोः शालिग्रामशिलाग्रतः । शालग्रामशिलाग्रे तु ये प्रकुर्वंति जागरम्

Transliteration

yaḥ kuryyājjāgare viṣṇoḥ śāligrāmaśilāgrataḥ | śālagrāmaśilāgre tu ye prakurvaṃti jāgaram

Translation

Celui qui accomplit la veille pour Viṣṇu devant la pierre Śālagrāma—oui, ceux qui observent la veille nocturne devant la Śālagrāma—obtiennent un mérite exceptionnel.

Word by Word

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• कुर्यात्: should do / would perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• जागरे: in the vigil (night-wake)
• जागरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘जागरण’ अर्थे

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• शालिग्रामशिलाग्रतः: from/before the front of the Śālagrāma stone
• शालिग्रामशिलाग्रतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शालिग्राम-शिला-अग्र (प्रातिपदिक; घटकाः: शालिग्राम + शिला + अग्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; ‘...अग्रतः’ = ‘...अग्रात्/समक्षात्’ (from/before the front of)

• शालग्रामशिलाग्रे: at/on the front of the Śālagrāma stone
• शालग्रामशिलाग्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शालग्राम-शिला-अग्र (प्रातिपदिक; घटकाः: शालग्राम + शिला + अग्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (अग्र-शब्दः), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम

• प्रकुर्वन्ति: perform / do
• प्रकुर्वन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• जागरम्: vigil
• जागरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śālagrāma-sannidhāna (within Dvārakā vrata context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A small sanctified altar: Śālagrāma on a pedestal with tulasī leaves, lamps and flowers; devotees keep vigil through the night, reading scripture and singing; Viṣṇu’s presence suggested as a subtle aura above the stone.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Śālagrāma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion becomes more potent when anchored in a sacred presence—here, Viṣṇu worship before Śālagrāma during a night vigil.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader frame is Dvārakā Māhātmya; the verse also elevates the sanctity of Śālagrāma as a portable tirtha-like presence of Viṣṇu.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Viṣṇu-jāgaraṇa (night vigil) specifically in front of the Śālagrāma stone.