Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

कुंकुमादिभिरभ्यर्च्य श्रीमात्रे भक्तिपूर्वकम् । वितशाठ्यं न कुर्वीत कुले संततिवृद्धये

Transliteration

kuṃkumādibhirabhyarcya śrīmātre bhaktipūrvakam | vitaśāṭhyaṃ na kurvīta kule saṃtativṛddhaye

Translation

Verehrt man Śrīmātṛ mit Kuṅkuma und dergleichen in hingebungsvoller Andacht, so soll man weder bei den Ausgaben noch bei dem, was darzubringen ist, Täuschung üben — zum Wachstum der Nachkommenschaft im Geschlecht.

Word by Word

• कुङ्कुमादिभिः: with vermilion etc.
• कुङ्कुमादिभिः: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुङ्कुम (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; आदि-समासः—कुङ्कुमं च आदयः च (etc.); तृतीया—साधन/उपकरण

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+अर्च् (धातु) → अभ्यर्च्य (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having worshipped)

• श्रीमात्रे: to the revered Mother
• श्रीमात्रे: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन; श्रीः माता यस्याः/या (honored mother; Lakṣmī-like mother)

• भक्तिपूर्वकम्: devoutly
• भक्तिपूर्वकम्: Prakāra (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव—क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial): भक्त्या पूर्वं/भक्त्या सह (with devotion)

• वितशाठ्यम्: deceit/duplicity
• वितशाठ्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित (प्रातिपदिक) + शाठ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; शाठ्यं वितम्/विततं (extended deceit)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—निषेध (negation particle)

• कुर्वीत: should do
• कुर्वीत: Vidhi (Prohibition with na/निषेधविधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• कुले: in the family
• कुले: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• संततिवृद्धये: for the increase of progeny
• संततिवृद्धये: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतति (प्रातिपदिक) + वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—संततेः वृद्धिः (increase of progeny)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from section context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Before a sanctum of the Mother, the devotee applies bright red kuṅkuma to the Devī’s feet/yantra, offering flowers and lamp; a ledger/measure-vessel nearby symbolizes honest giving; the atmosphere is maternal and protective.

Characters & Entities

• Śrīmātṛ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual merit depends on sincerity; devotion without deceit supports harmony and continuity in family life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha is praised in this verse; it is a dharma injunction within the Dharmāraṇya frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Devotional worship of Śrīmātṛ with kuṅkuma etc., coupled with an ethical rule: do not cheat or be miserly in what is offered.