Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

अथार्धरात्रे संप्राप्ते श्रुतो गीतध्वनिर्मया । ततश्च चिंतितं चित्ते जागरोऽयमसंशयम्

Transliteration

athārdharātre saṃprāpte śruto gītadhvanirmayā | tataśca ciṃtitaṃ citte jāgaro'yamasaṃśayam

Translation

അർദ്ധരാത്രി വന്നപ്പോൾ ഞാൻ ഗീതധ്വനി കേട്ടു. അപ്പോൾ മനസ്സിൽ ചിന്തിച്ചു—ഇത് നിശ്ചയമായും ജാഗരണമാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequence/then)

• अर्धरात्रे: at midnight
• अर्धरात्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्धरात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th); एकवचन; (अर्ध + रात्रि) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्धारणार्थः

• संप्राप्ते: when (it) had arrived
• संप्राप्ते: Adhikarana (Temporal locus/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप् (धातु) → संप्राप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); सप्तमी विभक्ति; एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-समासानुसार; ‘(काले) संप्राप्ते’ = when (it) had arrived

• श्रुतः: was heard
• श्रुतः: Karma (Object of hearing/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः ‘was heard’

• गीतध्वनिः: the sound of singing
• गीतध्वनिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; (गीतस्य ध्वनिः) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/agentive by me/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd); एकवचन

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तरं (thereupon/then)

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

• चिन्तितम्: was thought/considered
• चिन्तितम्: Karma (Content thought/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु) → चिन्तित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि ‘was thought/considered’

• चित्ते: in (my) mind
• चित्ते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; एकवचन

• जागरः: wakefulness/vigil
• जागरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (Demonstrative qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; निर्देशार्थ (this)

• असंशयम्: without doubt
• असंशयम्: Sambandha (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: असंशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग-द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपं अव्ययवत् (adverbial accusative)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (a devotee/pilgrim speaking within the Tīrthamāhātmya context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahākāla-āyatana (Mahākāla kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A sage addressed as ‘munipuṅgava’ (foremost of sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at midnight hears distant devotional singing; the dark street and temple lamps suggest a living vigil, prompting inward resolve.

Characters & Entities

• Jāgara
• Gīta (devotional song)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred sound (kīrtana) awakens the seeker; jāgara symbolizes mindful devotion conquering inertia and despair.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative is converging on Mahākāla’s worship-space where jāgara is being observed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Jāgara (staying awake in devotion) is indicated, accompanied by gīta (devotional singing).