Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

मधु क्षीरं दधि घृतं शर्करा पञ्चधारया । धूपं दीपं तथा चैव चंदनं कुसुमानि च

Transliteration

madhu kṣīraṃ dadhi ghṛtaṃ śarkarā pañcadhārayā | dhūpaṃ dīpaṃ tathā caiva caṃdanaṃ kusumāni ca

Translation

তারা মধু, ক্ষীর, দধি, ঘৃত ও শর্করা—পঞ্চধারা রূপে—এবং ধূপ, দীপ, চন্দন ও পুষ্পও নিয়ে এল।

Word by Word

• मधु: honey
• मधु: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; द्रव्यनाम

• क्षीरम्: milk
• क्षीरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दधि: curd/yogurt
• दधि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• घृतम्: ghee
• घृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शर्करा: sugar
• शर्करा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्करा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पञ्चधारया: in five streams
• पञ्चधारया: Kriyavisheshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + धारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; तृतीया-एकवचन-आकारान्त-रूपेण अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः = ‘in five streams/with fivefold flow’

• धूपम्: incense
• धूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दीपम्: lamp
• दीपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थ/क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘also/likewise’)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक

• एव: indeed
• एव: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (particle: ‘indeed/just’)

• चन्दनम्: sandalwood
• चन्दनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कुसुमानि: flowers
• कुसुमानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुसुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (contextual; likely Sūta-style narration within Brāhma Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śrīmātā-sthāna (implied)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: rājan (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close view of the altar: five vessels pouring in ‘fivefold streams’ (pañcadhārā) of honey, milk, curd, ghee, and sugar; incense smoke curls upward; rows of lamps; sandal paste and heaps of flowers.

Characters & Entities

• Śrīmātā (implied)
• Pañcadhārā / Pañcāmṛta items (honey, milk, curd, ghee, sugar)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is expressed through orderly, pure offerings—symbolizing the devotee’s intent to sanctify body and mind.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site is named; the emphasis is on pūjā-vidhi within the Dharmāraṇya sacred narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering pañcāmṛta-like substances and standard pūjā upacāras (incense, lamp, sandalwood, flowers).