Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

रजनीप्रांतयामार्द्धं ब्राह्मः समय उच्यते । स्वहितं चिंतयेत्प्राज्ञस्तस्मिंश्चोत्थाय सर्वदा

Transliteration

rajanīprāṃtayāmārddhaṃ brāhmaḥ samaya ucyate | svahitaṃ ciṃtayetprājñastasmiṃścotthāya sarvadā

Translation

ରଜନୀର ଶେଷ ପ୍ରହରର ଉତ୍ତରାର୍ଧ ‘ବ୍ରାହ୍ମ ମୁହୂର୍ତ୍ତ’ ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଏ; ସେତେବେଳେ ସଦା ଉଠି ପ୍ରାଜ୍ଞ ନିଜ ପରମ ହିତ ଚିନ୍ତା କରୁ।

Word by Word

• rajanī-prānta-yāma-ardham: half a watch at the end of night
• rajanī-prānta-yāma-ardham: Visheshya (Predicate/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajanī + prānta + yāma + ardha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (contextually predicate nominative); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (रजनीप्रान्तस्य यामस्य अर्धम्)

• brāhmaḥ: Brahma-related
• brāhmaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brāhma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (समयस्य)

• samayaḥ: time/period
• samayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचनम्

• ucyate: is called
• ucyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्) (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive)

• sva-hitam: one's own welfare
• sva-hitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva + hita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य हितम्)

• cintayet: should contemplate
• cintayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √cint (चिन्त्) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• prājñaḥ: a wise person
• prājñaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prājña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचनम्

• tasmin: in that
• tasmin: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचनम् (in that [time])

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• utthāya: having risen
• utthāya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ut-√sthā (स्था) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभावः; (having risen)

• sarvadā: always
• sarvadā: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

Speaker

Deductive: a Dharma-instructor voice within Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa (narrative speaker not explicit in the snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brāhma-samaya (Brāhma-muhūrta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pre-dawn stillness: a wise practitioner rises from a simple bed, lamp lit, seated for contemplation with scriptures nearby; the sky shows the faint edge of dawn.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The brāhma time (pre-dawn) is best for awakening and turning the mind toward true welfare and dharmic priorities.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the focus is on sacred time (brāhma time) as part of daily dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Rise during the brāhma time and engage in beneficial contemplation (preparatory to prayer, japa, and purity-practices).