Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 121

Devanagari script

शिवस्य चरितं रात्रौ श्रोतव्यं बहुविस्तरम् । गीतं नृत्यं तथा वाद्यं कर्तव्यं शिवसंनिधौ

Transliteration

śivasya caritaṃ rātrau śrotavyaṃ bahuvistaram | gītaṃ nṛtyaṃ tathā vādyaṃ kartavyaṃ śivasaṃnidhau

Translation

Pada malam hari hendaklah didengar dengan terperinci kisah suci dan laku-cerita Śiva. Di hadapan Śiva juga hendaklah dilakukan nyanyian, tarian, serta alunan alat muzik.

Word by Word

• शिवस्य: of Śiva
• शिवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• चरितम्: deeds/life (story)
• चरितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर् (धातु) + इत (कृत्-प्रत्यय) / चरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; क्त-कृदन्त (past participial noun: deeds/life)

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• श्रोतव्यम्: should be listened to
• श्रोतव्यम्: Vidhi (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be heard)

• बहु-विस्तरम्: very extensive
• बहु-विस्तरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (very extensive)

• गीतम्: singing/song
• गीतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गै (धातु) + त (कृत्-प्रत्यय) / गीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; क्त-कृदन्त (song/singing)

• नृत्यम्: dance
• नृत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृत् (धातु) + यत्/घञ् (भाव) / नृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भाववाचक (dance/dancing)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अनुक्रम (also/likewise)

• वाद्यम्: music/instrumental playing
• वाद्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वद् (धातु) + यत्/ण्यत् (कृत्) / वाद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; साधनवाचक (musical instrument/music)

• कर्तव्यम्: should be performed
• कर्तव्यम्: Vidhi (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be done)

• शिव-संनिधौ: in the presence of Śiva
• शिव-संनिधौ: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + संनिधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a lamp-lit Śiva shrine at night: devotees seated for Śiva-carita recitation while singers, dancers, and musicians perform before a liṅga adorned with bilva and flowers; oil lamps and incense create a sacred glow.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Śiva-carita
• Gīta
• Nṛtya
• Vādya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion matures through śravaṇa (hearing) and kīrtana (sacred performance), turning the night vigil into joyous worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to the Vastrāpathakṣetra Māhātmya within Prabhāsa, implying worship conducted in that kṣetra’s Śiva presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

During the night, hear Śiva’s narratives in detail and perform singing, dancing, and instrumental music before Śiva.