Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 116

Devanagari script

मुक्ताफलैरिंद्रनीलैर्गोमेदैश्च निरंतरम् । वैडूर्यैश्चैव नीलैश्च माणिक्यैश्च तथार्चयत्

Transliteration

muktāphalairiṃdranīlairgomedaiśca niraṃtaram | vaiḍūryaiścaiva nīlaiśca māṇikyaiśca tathārcayat

Translation

وكان يداوم على عبادته بتقديم اللؤلؤ، والياقوت الأزرق (إندرانيلا)، وحجر الغوميدكا، وحجر عين القط (فيدوريا)، وأحجار زرقاء، والياقوت الأحمر (مانيكيا)، مُزيِّنًا اللِّينغا بقرابين نفيسة.

Word by Word

• मुक्ताफलैः: with pearls (pearl-gems)
• मुक्ताफलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ताफल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—मुक्ता+फल (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• इन्द्रनीलैः: with sapphires (indranīla)
• इन्द्रनीलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रनील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—इन्द्र+नील (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• गोमेदैः: with gomeda gems
• गोमेदैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोमेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• निरन्तरम्: continuously
• निरन्तरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निरन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्यय (adverb)

• वैडूर्यैः: with cat’s-eye gems (vaiḍūrya)
• वैडूर्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैडूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• नीलैः: with blue gems
• नीलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• माणिक्यैः: with rubies
• माणिक्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माणिक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise/thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/अनुक्रम-बोधक अव्यय (adverb: thus/likewise)

• अर्चयत्: (he) worshipped
• अर्चयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solitary Himalayan shrine where the liṅga is adorned with pearls, sapphire, gomedaka, vaidūrya (cat’s-eye), nīla gems, and rubies; offerings glint in lamplight against stone and snow-mountain austerity.

Characters & Entities

• Nandī
• Śiva-liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Offering one’s best resources to Śiva—symbolized by precious gems—expresses surrender and reverence in tīrtha worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra, where the liṅga is portrayed as supremely worthy of the finest offerings.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ratna-arcana: worship/adornment of the liṅga with valuable gems as an act of devotion (seva/dāna-like offering).