Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

आरार्तिकेन संपूज्य दण्डवत्प्रणिपत्य च । घृतेन दीपकं दत्त्वा रात्रौ जागरणं तथा । कुर्य्याच्च गीतवादित्रैस्तथा पुस्तकवाचकैः

Transliteration

ārārtikena saṃpūjya daṇḍavatpraṇipatya ca | ghṛtena dīpakaṃ dattvā rātrau jāgaraṇaṃ tathā | kuryyācca gītavāditraistathā pustakavācakaiḥ

Translation

ആരതിയാൽ സമ്പൂർണ്ണമായി പൂജിച്ച് ദണ്ഡവത് പ്രണാമം ചെയ്ത്, നെയ്യ് ദീപം അർപ്പിച്ച് രാത്രിയിൽ ജാഗരണം ചെയ്യണം; ഭക്തിഗീതങ്ങൾ, വാദ്യങ്ങൾ, ശാസ്ത്രവായന എന്നിവയോടുകൂടി അത് നടത്തണം.

Word by Word

• आरार्तिकेन: with the ārārtika (lamp-waving rite)
• आरार्तिकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आरार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by/with ārārtika)

• संपूज्य: having duly worshipped
• संपूज्य: Kriya (Gerundial prior action/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त), पूर्वकाल; Absolutive/gerund: ‘having worshipped’

• दण्डवत्: fully prostrate (like a staff)
• दण्डवत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दण्डवत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial) ‘like a staff/fully prostrate’

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed down
• प्रणिपत्य: Kriya (Gerundial prior action/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नि + पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त), पूर्वकाल; Absolutive: ‘having bowed down’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• घृतेन: with ghee
• घृतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• दीपकम्: a lamp
• दीपकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीपक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• दत्त्वा: having offered
• दत्त्वा: Kriya (Gerundial prior action/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त), पूर्वकाल; Absolutive: ‘having given/offered’

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• जागरणम्: a vigil (night-wake)
• जागरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd person singular optative ‘should do’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• गीतवादित्रैः: with musical instruments (for songs)
• गीतवादित्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत + वादित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural; समासः—षष्ठी/उपपद-तत्पुरुष (गीतस्य वादित्रम्)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• पुस्तकवाचकैः: with reciters/readers of books
• पुस्तकवाचकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुस्तक + वाचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पुस्तकस्य वाचकः)

Speaker

Prahlāda (continuing instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvāravatī (Dvārakā)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇas/devotees

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Dvārakā temple night: priests wave multi-wick ārati lamps before Kṛṣṇa; devotees prostrate; rows of ghee lamps glow; musicians play mṛdaṅga and cymbals; a reader recites from a scripture as the congregation keeps vigil.

Characters & Entities

• Ārati
• Ghṛta-dīpa (ghee lamp)
• Jāgaraṇa (night vigil)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worship matures into sustained remembrance—light, humility, and all-night devotion centered on the Lord.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā’s worship-tradition within the Dvārakā-māhātmya context, where such observances are praised as highly meritorious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform ārati, do daṇḍavat-pranāma, offer a ghee lamp, keep night vigil, and engage in bhajans/music and scriptural recitation.