Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

पितामहेन तुष्टेन तत्र पूजामवाप्स्यथ । यूयं रात्रौ च संज्ञाभिर्हास्यपूर्वाभिरेव च

Transliteration

pitāmahena tuṣṭena tatra pūjāmavāpsyatha | yūyaṃ rātrau ca saṃjñābhirhāsyapūrvābhireva ca

Translation

അവിടെ പിതാമഹനായ ബ്രഹ്മാവ് പ്രസന്നനായാൽ നിങ്ങൾക്ക് പൂജ ലഭിക്കും. കൂടാതെ രാത്രിയിലും—മുൻകൂട്ടി നിശ്ചയിച്ച അടയാളങ്ങളാൽ, ചിരിയെ മുൻകഥയായി കൊണ്ടു—നിങ്ങളെ സമീപിക്കും।

Word by Word

• पितामहेन: by Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• पितामहेन: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तुष्टेन: being pleased
• तुष्टेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from तुष् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण (satisfied)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• पूजाम्: worship, honor
• पूजाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अवाप्स्यथ: you will obtain
• अवाप्स्यथ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव+आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• यूयम्: you (all)
• यूयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• संज्ञाभिः: by signals, by signs
• संज्ञाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• हास्यपूर्वाभिः: preceded by laughter
• हास्यपूर्वाभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हास्य + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (हास्यं पूर्वं यस्याः/येषाम्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; संज्ञाभिः इति विशेषण

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (addressing devīs/guardian powers within the city-māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple/kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devīs

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A night-time worship scene: devīs approached through subtle agreed signs; laughter precedes the encounter; Brahmā’s pleased presence is suggested as a blessing above the shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worship becomes fruitful when the divine is pleased; sacred traditions may include time-bound (night) observances governed by proper decorum.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse contributes to the Nāgarakhaṇḍa city-sthala glorification; the immediate focus is on worship within the sacred settlement rather than a named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It indicates night-time approach/worship using recognized signs (saṃjñā) and a prescribed demeanor (laughter as prelude).