Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

ततः संसेव्यते हृष्टै राक्षसैः सा दिवानिशम् । गीतनृत्यपरैश्चान्यैर्भूतैः प्रेतैः पिशाचकैः

Transliteration

tataḥ saṃsevyate hṛṣṭai rākṣasaiḥ sā divāniśam | gītanṛtyaparaiścānyairbhūtaiḥ pretaiḥ piśācakaiḥ

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം ആ സ്ഥലം പകലും രാത്രിയും സന്തുഷ്ടരായ രാക്ഷസന്മാർ സേവിച്ചു; കൂടാതെ ഗീത-നൃത്തത്തിൽ ആസക്തരായ മറ്റു ഭൂതങ്ങൾ, പ്രേതങ്ങൾ, പിശാചുകളും അവിടെ സഞ്ചരിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/सम्बन्धबोधक), अर्थे: तस्मात्/अनन्तरम् (thereafter/from that)

• संसेव्यते: is attended/served
• संसेव्यते: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+सेव् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (Passive), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular)

• हृष्टैः: by the delighted
• हृष्टैः: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental, 3rd), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (by/with the delighted)

• राक्षसैः: by the demons
• राक्षसैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental, 3rd), बहुवचनम्

• सा: she
• सा: Karma (Patient/that which is served)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative, 1st), एकवचनम्

• दिवानिशम्: day and night
• दिवानिशम्: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा + निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial), अर्थे: अहोरात्रम् (day and night)

• गीतनृत्यपरैः: by those devoted to song and dance
• गीतनृत्यपरैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गीत (प्रातिपदिक) + नृत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्—गीत-नृत्ये पराः (devoted to song and dance)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय-बोधक conjunction)

• अन्यैः: by other
• अन्यैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (other)

• भूतैः: by spirits (bhūtas)
• भूतैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• प्रेतैः: by ghosts (pretas)
• प्रेतैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• पिशाचकैः: by goblins (piśācakas)
• पिशाचकैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moonlit riverbank/forest-edge where rākṣasas and preta-bhūtas gather in ecstatic song and dance, circling a darkened watercourse; the atmosphere is festive yet ominous.

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasas
• Bhūtas
• Pretas
• Piśācas
• Sarasvatī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When sacred order is disrupted, impure influences gather; dharma and purity are portrayed as protective boundaries for tīrthas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Sarasvatī-tīra context—its sanctity highlighted by contrast with the ensuing demonic infestation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse sets the scene for later remedial or relocation actions.