Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

तावत्पापानि गर्जंति तावद्बिभेति पातकी । यावन्न विहितो भास्वान्दीपो नारायणालये

Transliteration

tāvatpāpāni garjaṃti tāvadbibheti pātakī | yāvanna vihito bhāsvāndīpo nārāyaṇālaye

Translation

जोपर्यंत नारायणालयात विधिपूर्वक तेजस्वी दीप स्थापिला जात नाही, तोपर्यंत पापे गर्जतात आणि पातकी भयभीत राहतो।

Word by Word

• तावत्: so long; until then
• तावत्: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (काल/परिमाण-निर्देशक), अर्थे—‘तावद्/तावत्कालम्’ (so long/that long)

• पापानि: sins
• पापानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• गर्जन्ति: roar; thunder
• गर्जन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• तावत्: so long
• तावत्: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (काल-निर्देशक) ‘तावत्कालम्’

• बिभेति: fears
• बिभेति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातोः ‘भी’ (to fear)

• पातकी: the sinner
• पातकी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘पातकी’ = पापकर्ता (sinner)

• यावत्: as long as; until
• यावत्: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (यावत्-तावत् सम्बन्धे), अर्थे—‘यावद्/यावत्कालम्’ (as long as)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negative particle)

• विहितः: is placed; is installed
• विहितः: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु) → विहित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः—‘स्थापितः/कृतः’ (having been placed/ordained)

• भास्वान्: shining
• भास्वान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भास्वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (shining)

• दीपः: lamp
• दीपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नारायणालये: in the temple of Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणालये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘नारायणस्य आलयः’ (abode/temple of Nārāyaṇa)

Speaker

Contextual: Brahmā (Brahmā–Nārada Saṃvāda)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nārāyaṇa-ālaya (as a merit-field rather than a named tīrtha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A trembling sinner approaches a Nārāyaṇa temple at night; shadowy forms (sins) ‘roar’ like dark clouds; as the lamp is set and lit, the shadows retreat and the devotee’s posture relaxes into peace.

Characters & Entities

• Nārāyaṇa
• Dīpa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When devotion is expressed through temple lamp-lighting, the oppressive force of sin is subdued and fear is dispelled.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse speaks broadly of the Nārāyaṇa temple within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra māhātmya narrative setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Duly place/light a radiant lamp in Nārāyaṇa’s temple.