Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 104

Devanagari script

गडुकैः स्नापयेत्सर्वैः स्नातं गन्धैर्विरूक्षयेत्

Transliteration

gaḍukaiḥ snāpayetsarvaiḥ snātaṃ gandhairvirūkṣayet

Translation

Man soll (die Gottheit) mit allen Wassergefäßen (gaḍuka) baden; und nach dem Bad soll man sie sanft trocknen und mit duftenden Substanzen bereiten.

Word by Word

• गडुकैः: with small pots/vessels (gaḍukas)
• गडुकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गडुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

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

• सर्वैः: with all (of them)
• सर्वैः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; विशेषणं ‘गडुकैः’ इत्यस्य

• स्नातम्: (one) bathed, having been bathed
• स्नातम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• गन्धैः: with fragrances/perfumes
• गन्धैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• विरूक्षयेत्: should dry (make dry)
• विरूक्षयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-रूक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A line of small water pots (gaḍukas) is emptied in sequence over the liṅga; afterwards the priest uses a clean cloth and fragrant paste to dry and prepare the icon, with orderly temple attendants.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is expressed through careful, orderly service—purity and reverence in ritual become a vehicle for inner purity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it focuses on universally applicable Śiva-pūjā procedure within the Kaumārikā-khaṇḍa context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhiṣeka (bathing the deity) using gaḍuka vessels, followed by drying/preparing the deity with fragrant substances.