Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

विधिवच्चार्चयेद्देवं सुगन्धेन विलेपयेत् । ब्राह्मणान्पूजयेत्तत्र यथाशक्त्या युधिष्ठिर

Transliteration

vidhivaccārcayeddevaṃ sugandhena vilepayet | brāhmaṇānpūjayettatra yathāśaktyā yudhiṣṭhira

Translation

Man soll dort den Herrn nach rechter Vorschrift verehren und Ihn mit duftenden Salben bestreichen; und man soll dort die Brāhmaṇas ehren, o Yudhiṣṭhira, nach eigener Kraft.

Word by Word

• विधिवत्: according to rule
• विधिवत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vidhi-vat (अव्यय; विधि + वत्)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

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

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arc (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• देवम्: the deity
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुगन्धेन: with fragrance/perfume
• सुगन्धेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su-gandha (प्रातिपदिक; सु + गन्ध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘सुन्दरः गन्धः यस्य/यत्’

• विलेपयेत्: should anoint/smear
• विलेपयेत्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√lip (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative)

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पूजयेत्: should honor/worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pūj (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• यथाशक्त्या: according to (one’s) capacity
• यथाशक्त्या: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā-śakti (प्रातिपदिक; यथा + शक्ति)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; तृतीया-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययवत्; ‘according to one’s ability’

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yudhiṣṭhira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānandeśvara

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims at a riverside Śiva shrine anointing the deity with fragrant paste, offering flowers, then respectfully honoring brāhmaṇas with seats, water, and gifts.

Characters & Entities

• Deva (Īśvara)
• Brāhmaṇas
• Yudhiṣṭhira

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-worship is completed by right ritual and by reverence toward brāhmaṇas through fitting hospitality and gifts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The worship-setting is Ānandeśvara-tīrtha in the Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vidhivat pūjā, fragrant anointing of the deity, and honoring brāhmaṇas according to capacity.