Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 103

Devanagari script

वारिक्षरदधिक्षौद्रघृतेनेक्षुरसेन च । स्नापयेन्मूलमन्त्रेण जलधूपार्चनात्पृथक्

Transliteration

vārikṣaradadhikṣaudraghṛtenekṣurasena ca | snāpayenmūlamantreṇa jaladhūpārcanātpṛthak

Translation

Mit Wasser, Zucker, Dadhī (Sauermilch), Honig, Ghee und auch Zuckerrohrsaft soll man (den Liṅga) mit dem Wurzelmantra baden—getrennt von den einzelnen Handlungen des Wasseropfers, des Räucherwerks und der formellen Verehrung.

Word by Word

• वारि: water
• वारि: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st) एकवचन (समाहार-निर्देशे)

• क्षर: milk
• क्षर: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (समाहार-निर्देशे)

• दधि: curd, yogurt
• दधि: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (समाहार-निर्देशे)

• क्षौद्र: honey
• क्षौद्र: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (समाहार-निर्देशे)

• घृतेन: with ghee
• घृतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• इक्षुरसेन: with sugarcane juice
• इक्षुरसेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इक्षु (प्रातिपदिक) + रस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (इक्षोः रसः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe
• स्नापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + णिच्
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त

• मूलमन्त्रेण: with the root mantra
• मूलमन्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (मूलः मन्त्रः)

• जलधूपार्चनात्: from (i.e., distinct from) water-offering, incense, and worship
• जलधूपार्चनात्: Apadana (Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + धूप (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (जल-धूप-अर्चन)

• पृथक्: separately, distinct
• पृथक्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (भेदवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

Speaker

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

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Multiple vessels are arranged: water, sugar, curd, honey, ghee, and sugarcane juice; the priest performs sequential abhiṣeka while assistants hold incense and flower trays for later, emphasizing distinct ritual phases.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva-liṅga
• Mūlamantra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual devotion is both symbolic and disciplined—each offering has its place, and mantra sanctifies the act.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse focuses on abhiṣeka substances and ritual separation of acts.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bathe the liṅga with specified sweet and pure substances while reciting the mūlamantra, keeping this abhiṣeka distinct from separate offerings like water (jala), incense (dhūpa), and formal arcana.