Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

सुगंधैश्चंदनाद्यैश्च कर्पूर मृगनाभिभिः । परमान्नादि नैवेद्यैः पक्वान्नैर्बहुभंगिभिः

Transliteration

sugaṃdhaiścaṃdanādyaiśca karpūra mṛganābhibhiḥ | paramānnādi naivedyaiḥ pakvānnairbahubhaṃgibhiḥ

Translation

Ferner soll man die Verehrung mit duftenden Substanzen wie Sandelholz und dergleichen, mit Kampfer und Moschus ehren; sowie mit erlesenen Speiseopfern—süßem Reis und anderen Naivedyas—zusammen mit vielen Arten gekochter Gerichte.

Word by Word

• सुगन्धैः: with fragrances, perfumes
• सुगन्धैः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुगन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

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

• चन्दन-आद्यैः: with sandalwood and the like
• चन्दन-आद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ = इत्यादि (etc.)

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

• कर्पूरैः: with camphor
• कर्पूरैः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्पूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• मृग-नाभिभिः: with musk (lit. deer-navel)
• मृग-नाभिभिः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + नाभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; ‘मृगनाभि’ = कस्तूरी (musk)

• परम-अन्न-आदि: paramānna and the like
• परम-अन्न-आदि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन (stem used as prior member); ‘परमान्न’ = उत्तमं पायसम् (best sweet rice)

• नैवेद्यैः: with food-offerings (naivedya)
• नैवेद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• पक्व-अन्नैः: with cooked foods
• पक्व-अन्नैः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्व (कृदन्त; √पच् (धातु) + क्त) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘पक्वान्न’ = पक्तान्न (cooked food)

• बहु-भङ्गिभिः: in many varieties
• बहु-भङ्गिभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + भङ्गि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; ‘बहुभङ्गि’ = अनेकप्रकार (many varieties/forms)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Priests anoint the worship focus with sandal paste; camphor and musk containers open; platters of sweet rice and many cooked dishes arranged as naivedya.

Characters & Entities

• Candana (sandalwood)
• Karpūra (camphor)
• Mṛganābhi (musk)
• Naivedya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes honoring the deity with the best one can offer—purity, fragrance, and nourishing food—transforming everyday substances into sacred service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The rite belongs to Kāśī’s sacred regimen in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa; the verse itself highlights offerings rather than naming a specific tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer sandalwood and other fragrances, camphor and musk, and present naivedya such as sweet rice and many cooked dishes.