Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

ततः संपूज्य विधिवद्गणाध्यक्षार्च्चने रताः । उपचारैरनेकैश्च दूर्वाभिश्च पृथक्पृथक्

Transliteration

tataḥ saṃpūjya vidhivadgaṇādhyakṣārccane ratāḥ | upacārairanekaiśca dūrvābhiśca pṛthakpṛthak

Translation

ثم إنهم، وقد انصرفوا إلى عبادة سيّد الغَنات، أكرموه على وفق الشريعة الطقسية، بتقادم كثيرة، وبأوراق عشب الدُّورفا (dūrvā) تُقدَّم على حدة.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थे: तस्मात्/अनन्तरम् (thereafter)

• संपूज्य: having duly worshipped
• संपूज्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); सम्-उपसर्गपूर्वकः; अर्थः: सम्यक् पूजयित्वा (having duly worshipped)

• विधिवत्: according to proper rite
• विधिवत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vidhi-vat (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थः: विधिना यथावत् (according to rule)

• गणाध्यक्षार्च्चने: in the worship of Gaṇādhyakṣa
• गणाध्यक्षार्च्चने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणाध्यक्ष + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी); एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: गणाध्यक्षस्य अर्चनम् (in the worship of the Gaṇa-leader)

• रताः: devoted (engaged)
• रताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा); बहुवचन; विशेषणम्—‘देवाः’ (devoted/engaged)

• उपचारैः: with offerings (services)
• उपचारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upacāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया); बहुवचन; करणम् (with offerings/services)

• अनेकैः: many
• अनेकैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aneka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन; ‘उपचारैः’ इति विशेषणम् (many)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक-संबन्ध) = conjunction ‘and’

• दूर्वाभिः: with dūrvā grass
• दूर्वाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dūrvā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन; करणम् (with dūrvā grass)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) = conjunction ‘and’

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pṛthak (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = adverb ‘separately’

• पृथक्: each one separately
• पृथक्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pṛthak (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (पुनरुक्ति) = emphatic repetition ‘each separately’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas and ṛṣis stand in orderly rows, offering varied upacāras to Gaṇādhyakṣa; fresh green dūrvā blades are presented in separate bunches, lamps and incense rising in a calm Himalayan setting.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇādhyakṣa (Gaṇeśa)
• Dūrvā grass

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion is expressed through vidhivat worship—careful, rule-guided offerings made with attention and purity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting is Kedārakhaṇḍa (Kedāra sacred region), but the verse focuses on worship procedure rather than a specific named spot.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Gaṇeśa arcanā with multiple upacāras and specific offering of dūrvā grass, presented separately/individually.