Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

एतस्मात्कारणादस्य महाकालस्य जागरम् । वर्षेवर्षे च वैशाख्यां करोमि द्विजसत्तमाः

Transliteration

etasmātkāraṇādasya mahākālasya jāgaram | varṣevarṣe ca vaiśākhyāṃ karomi dvijasattamāḥ

Translation

اسی سبب سے، اے برہمنوں میں برتر، میں ہر سال ماہِ ویشاکھ میں مہاکال کے لیے جاگرن (رات بھر بیداری) کرتا ہوں۔

Word by Word

• एतस्मात्: from this
• एतस्मात्: Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन (abl. sg.)

• कारणात्: because of the reason
• कारणात्: Apadana (Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन (abl. sg.)

• अस्य: of this (of him/it)
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (gen. sg.)

• महाकालस्य: of Mahākāla
• महाकालस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (gen. sg.); कर्मधारयः (‘महान् कालः’)

• जागरम्: vigil (night-wake)
• जागरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (acc. sg.)

• वर्षे: in a year
• वर्षे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (loc. sg.)

• वर्षे: (year)
• वर्षे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (loc. sg.); पुनरुक्ति (each year)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• वैशाख्याम्: in Vaiśākha
• वैशाख्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशाखी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (loc. sg.); मास-विशेष (in (the month of) Vaiśākha)

• करोमि: I do/perform
• करोमि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विजसत्तमाः: O best of twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजसत्तमाः: Sambodhana (Vocative address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (nom. pl.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयार्थ (‘द्विजानां सत्तमाः’ = best of Brahmins)

Speaker

Rājā (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahākāla

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-sattamāḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A temple night: devotees keep vigil before Mahākāla’s liṅga, lamps flicker, priests chant; the king and queen stand with folded hands, determined to remain awake through the night in Vaiśākha.

Characters & Entities

• Mahākāla
• Vaiśākha (month)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Gratitude expressed through regular vrata strengthens devotion; annual observance turns personal experience of grace into sustained dharmic practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Mahākāla temple setting central to this chapter’s Tīrthamāhātmya; the practice is tied to worship at/for Mahākāla.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performing Mahākāla jāgaraṇa (night vigil) every year specifically in the month of Vaiśākha.