Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

किन्त्वर्चयन्सदैवासौ लिंगं राज्यक्रमागतम् । पुष्पस्रग्धूपनैवेद्यगंधादिभिरमन्त्रवत्

Transliteration

kintvarcayansadaivāsau liṃgaṃ rājyakramāgatam | puṣpasragdhūpanaivedyagaṃdhādibhiramantravat

Translation

তথাপি সি সদায় ৰাজবংশানুক্ৰমে প্ৰাপ্ত লিঙ্গক পূজা কৰিছিল। ফুল, মালা, ধূপ, নৈবেদ্য, সুগন্ধি আদি অর্পণ কৰিছিল—কিন্তু মন্ত্রবিহীনভাৱে।

Word by Word

• किन्तु: but
• किन्तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किन्तु (अव्यय)
• Form: व्यतिरेक/विरोधबोधक-अव्यय (adversative particle: but)

• अर्चयन्: worshipping
• अर्चयन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; परस्मैपद-धातुजन्य

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: always)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• असौ: that man (he)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक: अदस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; परोक्षनिर्देश-सर्वनाम

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (Śiva-emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• राज्यक्रमागतम्: obtained through the succession of kingship
• राज्यक्रमागतम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राज्य-क्रम-आगत (प्रातिपदिक; राज्य + क्रम + आगत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (राज्यक्रमेण आगतम्)

• पुष्पस्रक्: with a garland of flowers
• पुष्पस्रक्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प-स्रज् (प्रातिपदिक; पुष्प + स्रज्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (समाहारतः); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पुष्पाणां स्रक्)

• धूप: with incense
• धूप: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समाहारतः)

• नैवेद्य: with food-offering
• नैवेद्य: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समाहारतः)

• गन्धादिभिः: with perfumes and the like
• गन्धादिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; गन्ध + आदि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गन्धः आदिः येषाम्)

• अमन्त्रवत्: without (reciting) mantras
• अमन्त्रवत्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अ-मन्त्र-वत् (प्रातिपदिक; नञ् + मन्त्र + वत्)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverbial): मन्त्ररहिततया

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A morally flawed king nevertheless stands before an ancient dynastic liṅga, offering flowers, garlands, incense, naivedya, and perfumes—without reciting mantras; the shrine glows with quiet sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Liṅga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even imperfect worship, when steady and sincere, retains spiritual potency and can become the seed of purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s Śaiva landscape, later identified with the Somnātha region, where Liṅga worship is central.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-pūjā by offering flowers, garlands, incense (dhūpa), naivedya, and fragrances—emphasizing accessible devotion.