Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 47
हत्याऽयुतानीह सुसंचितानि स्तेयानि रुक्मस्य न सन्ति संख्या । निहंति केनापि पुरा कृतानि सर्वाणि भद्रा निशि जागरेण
hatyā'yutānīha susaṃcitāni steyāni rukmasya na santi saṃkhyā | nihaṃti kenāpi purā kṛtāni sarvāṇi bhadrā niśi jāgareṇa
ஓ பத்திரையே! இங்கு குவிந்த பத்தாயிரம் கொலைப்பாவங்களும், எண்ணற்ற பொன்-திருட்டுப் பாவங்களும்—முன்னே செய்த அனைத்தும்—இரவு விழிப்பால் ஏதோ தெய்வீக சக்தியால் அழிந்து போகின்றன.
Sūta (deduced: Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa narration commonly via Sūta to sages)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Listener: Devī (addressed as bhadrā/devī)
Scene: A devotee keeps vigil through the night in Prabhāsa-kṣetra, lamp-lit, with Viṣṇu’s presence implied; dark karmic shadows (murders/thefts) dissolve like smoke at dawn.
FAQs
Bhakti-filled vigil in a sacred setting is portrayed as a powerful purifier capable of destroying even grave accumulated sins.
Prabhāsakṣetra, where the night vigil (especially in the Ekādaśī context of surrounding verses) is said to burn away sins.
Niśi-jāgara (keeping awake in devotional vigil at night), functioning as a purificatory observance (prāyaścitta-like effect).