नारीभिर्नरशार्दूल भूषिताभिः सुभूषणैः । अथासौ चिंतयामास चोरो दृष्ट्वाथ जागरम्
nārībhirnaraśārdūla bhūṣitābhiḥ subhūṣaṇaiḥ | athāsau ciṃtayāmāsa coro dṛṣṭvātha jāgaram
Wahai harimau di antara manusia! Tatkala dia melihat upacara berjaga—para wanita berhias dengan perhiasan yang indah—pencuri itu pun mula merancang helahnya.
Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; traditionally Sūta)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A night-time temple vigil: women devotees glittering with ornaments and lamps; at the edge, a thief watches, his face half-lit, mind plotting.
Even in sacred settings, the mind may turn toward temptation; the narrative sets up how dharma can still redirect a fallen person.
The holy precinct where the Śivarātri vigil is underway; it functions as the tīrtha-context for the coming transformation.
The ongoing jāgaraṇa (night vigil) associated with Śivarātri.