Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

हरिस्वापे नरो नित्यमेकभक्तं समाचरेत् । दिवसेदिवसे तस्य द्वादशाहफलं लभेत्

Transliteration

harisvāpe naro nityamekabhaktaṃ samācaret | divasedivase tasya dvādaśāhaphalaṃ labhet

Translation

ഹരിസ്വാപകാലത്ത് മനുഷ്യൻ നിത്യം ഏകഭക്തം (ദിവസത്തിൽ ഒരിക്കൽ ആഹാരം) അനുഷ്ഠിക്കണം; ദിനംപ്രതി അവന് ദ്വാദശാഹ വ്രതഫലം ലഭിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• हरिस्वापे: during Hari’s sleep (the period)
• हरिस्वापे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि + स्वाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• नरः: a man/person
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृपद

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्यय (adverbial accusative)

• एकभक्तम्: single-meal (observance)
• एकभक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• समाचरेत्: should practice/observe
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दिवसे: on a day
• दिवसे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• दिवसे: day by day
• दिवसे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (iteration)

• तस्य: of him/of that (observance)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• द्वादशाहफलम्: the fruit of (a) twelve-day (rite)
• द्वादशाहफलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश + अह + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee takes a single modest meal before sunset, then offers lamp and tulasī to Hari; a celestial ledger shows ‘12-day merit’ stamped each day during Hari’s sleep.

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Consistent moderation in diet during sacred time multiplies merit and strengthens devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse praises a vrata linked to Hariśayana rather than a named pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ekabhakta—eating once daily—throughout the period of Hari’s śayana.