Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

धूपं नीराजनं रम्यं छत्रं दर्पणमुत्तमम् । समर्पयित्वा विधिवन्मंत्रैर्वेदिकतांत्रिकैः

Transliteration

dhūpaṃ nīrājanaṃ ramyaṃ chatraṃ darpaṇamuttamam | samarpayitvā vidhivanmaṃtrairvedikatāṃtrikaiḥ

Translation

Nachdem man ordnungsgemäß Räucherwerk, das liebliche Nīrājana (Schwenken der Lichter), einen Sonnenschirm und einen vortrefflichen Spiegel dargebracht hat, soll man das Ritual rechtmäßig mit vedischen und tantrischen Mantras vollziehen.

Word by Word

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

• नीराजनम्: waving of lights (ārati)
• नीराजनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीराजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular

• रम्यम्: beautiful
• रम्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular (qualifying नीराजनम्/समर्प्य-वस्तु)

• छत्रम्: parasol
• छत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular

• दर्पणम्: mirror
• दर्पणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular (qualifying दर्पणम्)

• समर्पयित्वा: having offered
• समर्पयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√अर्प् (धातु) → समर्पयित्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund), ‘having offered/presented’

• विधिवत्: according to rule
• विधिवत्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• मन्त्रैः: with mantras
• मन्त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; instrumental plural

• वैदिक-तान्त्रिकैः: Vedic and Tantric
• वैदिक-तान्त्रिकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैदिक (प्रातिपदिक) + तान्त्रिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (वैदिकाश्च तान्त्रिकाश्च), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; instrumental plural (qualifying मन्त्रैः)

Speaker

Unspecified (instructional narration within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand Śiva pūjā moment: incense smoke rises; lamps are waved in nīrājana; attendants hold a parasol over the liṅga and present a mirror; mantras are chanted by priests.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worship integrates beauty and discipline—ritual splendor is sanctified when aligned with mantra and proper procedure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the focus is on pūjā upacāras.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer incense, perform nīrājana, and present chatra and mirror, using both Vedic and Tantric mantras according to rule.