Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

यः कुर्याच्छांतिकं सम्यक्तिलहोमं च भक्तितः । वासरे तव संप्राप्ते समिद्भिश्च तथाऽक्षतैः

Transliteration

yaḥ kuryācchāṃtikaṃ samyaktilahomaṃ ca bhaktitaḥ | vāsare tava saṃprāpte samidbhiśca tathā'kṣataiḥ

Translation

مَن يقوم، حين يحلّ يومُك، بطقس التسكين (شانتِكا) على وجهه الصحيح—مُقيمًا هومةَ السمسم (تيلاهوما) بتعبّد، وبحطبٍ مقدّس، ومعه أيضًا أرزٌّ غيرُ مكسور (أكشَتا)—

Word by Word

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधकः सापेक्षः सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• शान्तिकम्: propitiatory rite (śāntika)
• शान्तिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; कर्मपद

• सम्यक्: properly, correctly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तिलहोमम्: sesame-offering (tilahoma)
• तिलहोमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तिलानां होमः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• भक्तितः: out of devotion
• भक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; हेतौ/कारणे (ablative of cause)

• वासरे: on the day
• वासरे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• संप्राप्ते: having arrived/when (it) has come
• संप्राप्ते: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + प्र + आप् (धातु) → संप्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; वासरे इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

• समिद्भिः: with fuel-sticks
• समिद्भिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समिध् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; करण (instrumental)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise, also
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अक्षतैः: with unbroken rice-grains
• अक्षतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; करण (instrumental)

Speaker

Rājā Daśaratha

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/dvijas (audience addressed as ‘dvijasattamāḥ’ in the frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee performs a sesame oblation into a consecrated fire, placing samidh and offering akṣata, while invoking Śanaiścara for pacification; ritual vessels and a calm, protective atmosphere dominate the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Śanaiścara
• Tilahoma
• Akṣata
• Samidhaḥ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional ritual (bhakti-yukta karma) is portrayed as a legitimate dharmic means to pacify suffering and restore harmony.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs in a tīrtha-māhātmya setting but does not specify a particular site; it emphasizes ritual procedure.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śāntika rite including tilahoma (sesame fire-offering) using samidha (fuel-sticks) and akṣata (unbroken rice) on Śani’s day.