Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

चकोरश्चंद्रिकाभोक्ता नक्तव्रतमिवास्थितः । पठंति सारिकाः सारं शुकं संबोधयत्यहो

Transliteration

cakoraścaṃdrikābhoktā naktavratamivāsthitaḥ | paṭhaṃti sārikāḥ sāraṃ śukaṃ saṃbodhayatyaho

Translation

چکور چاندنی کا رس پیتا ہوا گویا رات کے ورت کی طرح قائم رہتا ہے۔ مینا پرندے جوہرِ کلام کا پاٹھ کرتے ہیں، اور تعجّب انگیز طور پر طوطا تعلیم و تلقین کرتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• चकोरः: the cakora bird
• चकोरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चकोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• चन्द्रिकाभोक्ता: enjoyer of moonlight
• चन्द्रिकाभोक्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रिका + भोक्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (चन्द्रिकायाः भोक्ता = moonlight-enjoyer); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• नक्तव्रतम्: a night-vow/fast
• नक्तव्रतम्: Upamana (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्त + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नक्तं व्रतम् = night-vow/fast); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• इव: like/as if
• इव: Sambandha (Comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• आस्थितः: has assumed/is observing
• आस्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+स्था (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘स्थितः/आस्थितः’

• पठन्ति: recite/read
• पठन्ति: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• सारिकाः: mynah birds
• सारिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• सारम्: essence/best part
• सारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• शुकम्: parrot
• शुकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• संबोधयति: addresses/awakens/calls
• संबोधयति: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अहो: ah!/oh!
• अहो: Sambandha (Exclamation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मयादिबोधक-निपात (exclamatory particle)

Speaker

Narrator/teacher voice (contextual speaker not explicit in this verse; within Dharmāraṇya Māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Moonlit grove: a cakora gazes upward ‘drinking’ moonbeams; mynas appear as if chanting; a parrot perched like a teacher addresses attentive listeners; the scene blends naturalism with allegory of learning and vows.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmāraṇya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The holy place is so dharmic that even nature appears to practice vows and transmit ‘essence-teaching’—a sign of pervasive sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya, whose atmosphere is portrayed as filled with vrata-like discipline and wisdom.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse alludes to naktavrata (night-vow) as a metaphor for disciplined living.