Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

पूजनीयो हृषीकेशो जलशायिस्वरूपधृक् । गंधैर्धूपैश्च नैवेद्यै रात्रिजागरणैरपि

Transliteration

pūjanīyo hṛṣīkeśo jalaśāyisvarūpadhṛk | gaṃdhairdhūpaiśca naivedyai rātrijāgaraṇairapi

Translation

நீரில் சயனிக்கும் திருவுருவைத் தாங்கிய ஹ்ருஷீகேசனை வழிபட வேண்டும்—நறுமணங்கள், தூபம், நைவேத்யம், இரவு விழிப்பும் உடன்.

Word by Word

• pūjanīyaḥ: worthy to be worshipped
• pūjanīyaḥ: Kriya (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūj (धातु) → pūjanīya (कृत्य-प्रत्यय, कृदन्त)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'to be worshipped'

• hṛṣīkeśaḥ: Hṛṣīkeśa (Viṣṇu)
• hṛṣīkeśaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛṣīkeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• jala-śāyi-svarūpa-dhṛk: bearing the form of the one who reclines on the waters
• jala-śāyi-svarūpa-dhṛk: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक) + śāyin (प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + dhṛk (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √dhṛ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—'जलशायी' (one who lies on water) इति विशेषणेन 'स्वरूप' (form) तस्य 'धृक्' (bearing)

• gandhaiḥ: with fragrances
• gandhaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• dhūpaiḥ: with incense
• dhūpaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

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

• naivedyaiḥ: with food-offerings
• naivedyaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naivedya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• rātri-jāgaraṇaiḥ: with night-vigils
• rātri-jāgaraṇaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rātri (प्रातिपदिक) + jāgaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'रात्रौ जागरणम्'

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Additive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/also)

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night-time temple worship: Hṛṣīkeśa depicted as jalāśāyī—Viṣṇu reclining on serpent couch over stylized waters; devotees offer incense smoke, sandal paste, and naivedya while lamps glow; a vigil circle sings through the night.

Characters & Entities

• Hṛṣīkeśa
• Jalaśāyī (Viṣṇu reclining on waters)
• Naivedya
• Rātri-jāgaraṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True worship integrates offerings and wakeful remembrance—devotion expressed through pūjā and conscious vigil.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse praises the deity-form (Hṛṣīkeśa as Jalaśāyī) rather than naming a particular pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship Viṣṇu with gandha, dhūpa, naivedya, and observe rātri-jāgaraṇa (night vigil).