Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

अन्वास्य पश्चिमां संध्यां सुखं सुष्वाप तत्तटे । याममात्रावशिष्टायां विभावर्यां महाध्वनिः

Transliteration

anvāsya paścimāṃ saṃdhyāṃ sukhaṃ suṣvāpa tattaṭe | yāmamātrāvaśiṣṭāyāṃ vibhāvaryāṃ mahādhvaniḥ

Translation

പശ്ചിമ സന്ധ്യയെ വിധിപൂർവ്വം അനുഷ്ഠിച്ച് അദ്ദേഹം ആ തീരത്ത് സുഖമായി നിദ്രിച്ചു. രാത്രിയിൽ ഒരു യാമം മാത്രം ശേഷിക്കുമ്പോൾ, ഇരുട്ടിൽ മഹാധ്വനി ഉയർന്നു.

Word by Word

• anvāsya: having observed/attended
• anvāsya: Purvakala (prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ās (धातु) + anu (उपसर्ग) → anvāsya (कृदन्त, ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): 'having sat/observed'

• paścimām: western (evening)
• paścimām: Visheshana (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paścima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying 'saṃdhyām')

• saṃdhyām: the twilight (evening sandhyā)
• saṃdhyām: Karma (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃdhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• sukham: comfortably
• sukham: Sambandha (manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् प्रयोगः (accusative of manner: 'comfortably')

• suṣvāpa: slept
• suṣvāpa: Kriya (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: svap (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• tat-taṭe: on that riverbank/shore
• tat-taṭe: Adhikarana (location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम) + taṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; 'तस्मिन् तटे' (on that bank)

• yāma-mātra-avaśiṣṭāyām: when only one watch remained
• yāma-mātra-avaśiṣṭāyām: Adhikarana (time condition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yāma (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक) + avaśiṣṭā (कृदन्त, क्त; √śiṣ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; 'याममात्रम् अवशिष्टा यस्याम् (विभावर्याम्)'—समास/सम्बन्ध-विशेषणम्

• vibhāvaryām: in the night
• vibhāvaryām: Adhikarana (time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhāvarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• mahā-dhvaniḥ: a great sound
• mahā-dhvaniḥ: Karta (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvani (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: 'महान् ध्वनिः'

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Agastya-tīrtha (bank)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: After performing evening saṃdhyā, the sage sleeps on the riverbank; in the last watch of night, darkness trembles with a sudden great sound, hinting at a divine event approaching.

Characters & Entities

• Kakṣīvān
• Agastya-tīrtha (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Daily rites like saṃdhyā, when performed at a tīrtha with purity, prepare the seeker for auspicious signs and transformative encounters.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the Agastya-tīrtha setting, emphasizing practice on the tīrtha’s bank.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observance of the evening saṃdhyā (sandhyā worship) as part of disciplined conduct during the tīrtha stay.