Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अथापश्यदृषीन्सर्वाञ्छ्रीसोमेशपुरःस्थितान् । रात्रौ जागरणार्थाय जपहोमपरायणान्

Transliteration

athāpaśyadṛṣīnsarvāñchrīsomeśapuraḥsthitān | rātrau jāgaraṇārthāya japahomaparāyaṇān

Translation

پھر اس نے شری سومیشور کی پُنیہ نگری کے سامنے کھڑے سب رِشیوں کو دیکھا، جو رات کے جاگَرَن کے لیے جپ اور ہوم میں مشغول تھے۔

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Avyaya (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereupon)

• अपश्यत्: saw
• अपश्यत्: Karta (Subject implied)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• ऋषीन्: sages
• ऋषीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• श्री-सोमेश-पुरः-स्थितान्: standing before revered Someśa (Somanātha)
• श्री-सोमेश-पुरः-स्थितान्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + सोमेश (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरस्/पुरः (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + स्था (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘स्थित’ = standing; समासः—(श्रीसोमेशस्य पुरः) स्थिताः

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (Time locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• जागरण-अर्थाय: for the purpose of keeping vigil
• जागरण-अर्थाय: Sampradana (Purpose/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागरण (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजन (purpose)

• जप-होम-परायणान्: devoted to recitation and fire-offerings
• जप-होम-परायणान्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक) + होम (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण; (जपश्च होमश्च) तयोः परायणाः = devoted to japa and homa

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Someśvara/Somanātha precinct at Prabhāsa

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A nocturnal scene before Someśvara’s sacred city: rows of sages seated around small homa fires, hands moving in japa, smoke curling upward, lamps flickering, the temple gateway looming behind.

Characters & Entities

• Someśvara
• Ṛṣis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Association with sages and disciplined worship (japa-homa with vigil) sanctifies a pilgrim’s visit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Someśvara/Somanātha area within Prabhāsa-kṣetra, presented as a place where sages perform night worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Night vigil (jāgaraṇa) supported by japa (recitation) and homa (oblations).