Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

पुष्पक्षीरादि भिर्दत्तैस्तिलाभोऽक्षतदर्भकैः । शंभोः शिरसि दत्त्वार्घ्य दिवि वर्षायुतं वसेत्

Transliteration

puṣpakṣīrādi bhirdattaistilābho'kṣatadarbhakaiḥ | śaṃbhoḥ śirasi dattvārghya divi varṣāyutaṃ vaset

Translation

Mit Gaben wie Blumen und Milch, zusammen mit Sesam, ungebrochenem Reis (akṣata) und Darbha-Gras, und indem man das arghya (Ehrengabe) auf Śambhus Haupt darbringt, verweilt man zehntausend Jahre im Himmel.

Word by Word

• पुष्पक्षीरादिभिः: with flowers, milk, etc.
• पुष्पक्षीरादिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व/तत्पुरुषभावः (पुष्पं क्षीरं च इत्यादि)

• दत्तैः: given/offered
• दत्तैः: Karana (Instrument-qualifier/करणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पुष्पक्षीरादिभिः)

• तिलाभः: gain/benefit of sesame (i.e., merit from offering sesame)
• तिलाभः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तिलानाम् आभः/लाभः)

• अक्षतदर्भकैः: with unbroken rice grains and darbha grass
• अक्षतदर्भकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षत (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्भक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (अक्षतैः दर्भकैः च)

• शंभोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• शिरसि: on the head
• शिरसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• दत्त्वा: having given/offered
• दत्त्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund)

• अर्घ्यम्: arghya (ritual offering)
• अर्घ्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्घ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• दिवि: in heaven
• दिवि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन (वेदिक/काव्य-रूप)

• वर्षायुतम्: ten thousand years
• वर्षायुतम्: Karma (Extent/कर्म-परिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; द्विगु/तत्पुरुषभावः (वर्षाणाम् अयुतम् = 10,000 years)

• वसेत्: would dwell/live
• वसेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee offers a shining ārghya vessel filled with milk, flowers, sesame, akṣata, and darbha before Śambhu; the offering is raised toward the deity’s head with reverent posture.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverent, properly constituted offerings to Śiva are powerful acts of dharma that yield exalted post-mortem rewards.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular site is mentioned; the focus is the ritual of arghya to Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering arghya to Śiva using flowers, milk, sesame, akṣata, and darbha.