Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 18
चकोरश्चंद्रिकाभोक्ता नक्तव्रतमिवास्थितः । पठंति सारिकाः सारं शुकं संबोधयत्यहो
cakoraścaṃdrikābhoktā naktavratamivāsthitaḥ | paṭhaṃti sārikāḥ sāraṃ śukaṃ saṃbodhayatyaho
ചകോരപ്പക്ഷി ചന്ദ്രിക പാനം ചെയ്ത് നക്തവ്രതം അനുഷ്ഠിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ നില്ക്കുന്നു. മൈനകൾ സാരം പാരായണം ചെയ്യുന്നു; അത്ഭുതം—തത്ത ഉപദേശിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ ബോധിപ്പിക്കുന്നു।
Narrator/teacher voice (contextual speaker not explicit in this verse; within Dharmāraṇya Māhātmya narration)
Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya
Type: kshetra
Scene: Moonlit grove: a cakora gazes upward ‘drinking’ moonbeams; mynas appear as if chanting; a parrot perched like a teacher addresses attentive listeners; the scene blends naturalism with allegory of learning and vows.
FAQs
The holy place is so dharmic that even nature appears to practice vows and transmit ‘essence-teaching’—a sign of pervasive sanctity.
Dharmāraṇya, whose atmosphere is portrayed as filled with vrata-like discipline and wisdom.
No direct prescription; the verse alludes to naktavrata (night-vow) as a metaphor for disciplined living.