Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

जागरे वर्त्तमानस्य श्वपचस्य गतिर्भवेत् । किंपुनर्वर्णजातीनां वैष्णवानां महीपते

Transliteration

jāgare varttamānasya śvapacasya gatirbhavet | kiṃpunarvarṇajātīnāṃ vaiṣṇavānāṃ mahīpate

Translation

大王啊，即便是煮狗肉者（出身至卑）若能在圣守夜中保持清醒，也将得至吉祥归趣；更何况诸种姓中受承认的毗湿奴信众（Vaiṣṇava）呢，陛下。

Word by Word

• जागरे: in the vigil
• जागरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• वर्तमानस्य: of one who is engaged (remaining)
• वर्तमानस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √वृत् (धातु) + मान (शतृ/वर्तमानकृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle, आत्मनेपद-प्राय); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• श्वपचस्य: of a dog-cooker (outcaste)
• श्वपचस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वपच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• गतिः: attainment/destination
• गतिः: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would be / may become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• किम्: what (then)
• किम्: Discourse particle (प्रश्न/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रश्नार्थक-निपात (interrogative particle)

• पुनः: again/more so
• पुनः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण/उपपद (adverb)

• वर्णजातीनाम्: of the (higher) castes/classes
• वर्णजातीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + जाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (जाति-शब्दानुसार), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—वर्णजाति (वर्णस्य जातिः/वर्णसम्बद्धा जातिः)

• वैष्णवानाम्: of Vaiṣṇavas
• वैष्णवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• महीपते: O lord of the earth (king)
• महीपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

An unnamed Purāṇic narrator addressing a king (mahīpati/rājan) within Dvārakā Māhātmya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahīpati (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A diverse assembly in night vigil—brahmins, householders, and a marginalized devotee—singing before Viṣṇu; the narrator emphasizes that wakeful devotion grants blessed gati even to the lowest-born.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiṣṇava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sincere participation in Kṛṣṇa’s night vigil grants upliftment regardless of social status, and devotion magnifies merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, presented in the Dvārakā Māhātmya of the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observing jāgaraṇa—remaining awake in devotional vigil (typically with worship, singing, and remembrance of Kṛṣṇa).