Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

क्षमापयित्वा देवेशं चक्रे जागरणं ततः । यामत्रये व्यतीते तु चंद्रशर्मा ह्युवाच ह

Transliteration

kṣamāpayitvā deveśaṃ cakre jāgaraṇaṃ tataḥ | yāmatraye vyatīte tu caṃdraśarmā hyuvāca ha

Translation

他向天神之主（Deveśa）祈求宽恕后，便守持通宵警醒（jāgaraṇa）。当夜分三更已过，旃陀罗舍尔摩（Candraśarmā）开口说道。

Word by Word

• क्षमापयित्वा: having asked forgiveness / having caused (him) to forgive
• क्षमापयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षम् (धातु) + णिच् (प्रेरण) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: णिजन्त-क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (causative gerund) ‘क्षमापयित्वा’ = क्षमां कारयित्वा

• देवेशम्: the Lord of gods
• देवेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानाम् ईशः)

• चक्रे: did / performed
• चक्रे: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• जागरणम्: night vigil
• जागरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/कारणवाचक-अव्यय (then/thereafter)

• यामत्रये: in the three watches (of the night)
• यामत्रये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याम + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (त्रयो यामाः)

• व्यतीते: when (it) had passed
• व्यतीते: Sati-saptami (Absolute locative/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अति + इ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषबोधक-अव्यय (particle)

• चन्द्रशर्मा: Candraśarmā
• चन्द्रशर्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रशर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम (proper noun)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/कारणबोधक-अव्यय (particle)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ह: (indeed/it is said)
• ह: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: स्मरण/इतिहाससूचक-अव्यय (expletive particle)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Dvārakā-māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In the quiet of night within Dvārakā’s temple precinct, the devotee folds hands in apology before the deity, then remains awake through the three yāmas, lamps burning low, awaiting the moment to speak his prayer.

Characters & Entities

• Deveśa (Lord)
• Candraśarmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vrata begins with humility—seeking forgiveness—and is strengthened through disciplined vigil and remembrance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dvārakā tīrtha setting of the chapter (Gomatī/Cakratīrtha context) where the vigil is observed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Kṣamā-yācñā (asking pardon) to the Lord and performing jāgaraṇa (keeping vigil) through the night watches.