Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 1
सूत उवाच । तस्मादेषा महाराज शिवरात्रिर्विपश्चिता । कर्तव्या पुरुषेणात्र लोकद्वयमभीप्सुना
sūta uvāca | tasmādeṣā mahārāja śivarātrirvipaścitā | kartavyā puruṣeṇātra lokadvayamabhīpsunā
സൂതൻ പറഞ്ഞു—അതുകൊണ്ട്, മഹാരാജാവേ, ഇഹലോകവും പരലോകവും ഇരുവരുടെയും ശ്രേയസ്സിനെ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്ന പുരുഷൻ ഈ വിവേകപൂർണ്ണമായ ശിവരാത്രിവ്രതം നിർബന്ധമായി ആചരിക്കണം।
Sūta
Tirtha: Śivarātri (as vrata within the Nāgara-khaṇḍa tirtha discourse)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Mahārāja (Ānarta, as the named interlocutor in the next verse)
Scene: Sūta addressing a kingly listener in an assembly, gesturing in instruction; behind them a night-time Śiva shrine suggests Śivarātri vigil and the promise of ‘both worlds’.
FAQs
Śivarātri is recommended as a wise, comprehensive observance that supports both worldly well-being and spiritual progress.
The discourse continues within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya framework of Nāgara Khaṇḍa.
A direct injunction: Śivarātri should be performed/observed by one seeking benefit in both worlds.