Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

एवं सर्वा निशा सा च गीतवाद्यादिनिःस्वनैः । तासां चैवाग्रतो नेया नैव निद्रां समाचरेत्

Transliteration

evaṃ sarvā niśā sā ca gītavādyādiniḥsvanaiḥ | tāsāṃ caivāgrato neyā naiva nidrāṃ samācaret

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ മുഴുവൻ രാത്രി ഗീത-വാദ്യങ്ങളുടെ നാദത്തോടെ കഴിക്കണം. അവരുടെ സന്നിധിയിൽ തന്നെ ഇരിക്കണം; നിദ്രയിൽ ഏർപ്പെടരുത്.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (thus)

• सर्वा: entire
• सर्वा: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निशा इति विशेषण

• निशा: night
• निशा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सा: that
• सा: Anvaya (Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निशा इत्यस्य अन्वयः

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• गीतवाद्यादिनिःस्वनैः: with the sounds of singing, instruments, etc.
• गीतवाद्यादिनिःस्वनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत-वाद्य-आदि-निःस्वन (प्रातिपदिक; गीत + वाद्य + आदि + निःस्वन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; करण (with sounds); (गीतवाद्यादीनां निःस्वनैः)

• तासाम्: of them
• तासाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• एव: indeed
• एव: Nipata (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय

• अग्रतः: in front (of them)
• अग्रतः: Desha (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (in front/before)

• नेया: should be spent/led
• नेया: Vidhi (Obligation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √नी (धातु) → नेय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विधेयार्थक कृदन्त (ण्यत्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (निशा) ‘to be spent/led’

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• एव: at all/indeed
• एव: Nipata (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय

• निद्राम्: sleep
• निद्राम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• समाचरेत्: should practice/undertake
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lakṣmī (contextual instruction within the vrata narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A temple courtyard at night: devotees seated in circles, singing; drums and cymbals keep rhythm; lamps and torches illuminate the shrine; the worshipper stays awake near the women/attendants (tāsām agrataḥ) in respectful proximity.

Characters & Entities

• Devī (implied worship setting)
• Gīta (song)
• Vādya (instruments)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wakeful, joyful remembrance (jāgaraṇa) is presented as a disciplined form of devotion that sustains sacred attention through the night.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting is a tīrtha-centered rite (Tīrthamāhātmya); the verse emphasizes devotional conduct at such a sacred locale rather than naming it.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Conduct a night vigil with devotional music and avoid sleeping.