Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

ततस्तं प्रस्थितं ज्ञात्वा पुष्करे तु पितामहम् । संध्यार्थं रात्रिनाथो वै वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह

Transliteration

tatastaṃ prasthitaṃ jñātvā puṣkare tu pitāmaham | saṃdhyārthaṃ rātrinātho vai vākyametaduvāca ha

Translation

Alors, apprenant que l’Aïeul des mondes (Brahmā) s’était mis en route vers Puṣkara, le Seigneur de la Nuit (la Lune), à l’heure du culte du crépuscule, prononça ces paroles.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Discourse/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रस्थितम्: having departed
• प्रस्थितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + स्था (धातु) → प्रस्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त) — ‘having set out’ (qualifying तम्)

• ज्ञात्वा: having learned/known
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) — ‘having known’

• पुष्करे: at Puṣkara
• पुष्करे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-अव्यय (particle)

• पितामहम्: Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• पितामहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• संध्यार्थम्: for the twilight rite
• संध्यार्थम्: Karma (Purpose/कर्म-प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संध्या (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—संध्यायाः अर्थम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• रात्रिनाथः: the lord of the night (the Moon)
• रात्रिनाथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—रात्रेः नाथः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• वाक्यम्: words/speech
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (वाक्यम्)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्णभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed/it is said
• ह: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: स्मरण/इतिवृत्तसूचक-अव्यय (narrative particle)

Speaker

Candrama (Rātrinātha) (implied)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Puṣkara

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At twilight, the Moon-god (Rātrinātha/Candra) learns of Brahmā’s departure toward Puṣkara and speaks, with a sky of deepening blue and ritual lamps beginning to glow.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Puṣkara
• Candrama (Moon)
• Sandhyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It highlights reverence for proper timing and discipline in sandhyā rites, even among cosmic beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Puṣkara is referenced as the destination associated with Brahmā’s sacred activity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sandhyā (twilight worship) is indicated as the religious context for the ensuing instruction.