Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 152

Devanagari script

सर्वौषधिजलेनैव ततः शुद्धोदकेन च । चन्दनेन सुगन्धेन समालभ्य च शङ्करम्

Transliteration

sarvauṣadhijalenaiva tataḥ śuddhodakena ca | candanena sugandhena samālabhya ca śaṅkaram

Translation

Man soll den Herrn zuerst mit Wasser baden, das mit allen Heilkräutern versetzt ist, und danach mit reinem Wasser; und Śaṅkara mit duftender Sandelpaste salben.

Word by Word

• सर्वौषधिजलेन: with water containing all herbs
• सर्वौषधिजलेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + औषधि (प्रातिपदिक) + जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (सर्वासाम् औषधीनां जलम्)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle of emphasis)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Sequence/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (thereafter)

• शुद्धोदकेन: with pure water
• शुद्धोदकेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः (शुद्धम् उदकम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• चन्दनेन: with sandalwood (paste)
• चन्दनेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• सुगन्धेन: with fragrance/perfume
• सुगन्धेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुगन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• समालभ्य: having anointed/applied
• समालभ्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + लभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘समालभ्’ = लेपन/अभ्यङ्गार्थे (to anoint/apply)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• शङ्करम्: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शङ्करम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice, likely Sūta speaking in Āvantya Khaṇḍa context)

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pure, careful worship—through cleansing and fragrant offerings—cultivates devotion and sanctifies the devotee’s intent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting is the Revā Khaṇḍa (Narmadā/Revā sacred geography), where Śaiva worship is taught within the river’s māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhiṣeka with herbal-infused water followed by pure water, and anointing the liṅga/deity with fragrant sandal paste.