Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 98

Devanagari script

वामांकगिरिजं देवं ध्यायेत्सिद्धैः स्तुतं मुहुः । ततः पूर्वं प्रदद्याच्च पाद्यार्घं शंभवे नृप

Transliteration

vāmāṃkagirijaṃ devaṃ dhyāyetsiddhaiḥ stutaṃ muhuḥ | tataḥ pūrvaṃ pradadyācca pādyārghaṃ śaṃbhave nṛpa

Translation

Immer wieder meditiere man den Gott, der Girijā (Pārvatī) an seiner linken Seite trägt, den die Siddhas unablässig preisen. Dann, o König, bringe zuerst Śambhu pādya (Wasser zum Füßewaschen) und arghya dar.

Word by Word

• वामाङ्कगिरिजम्: having Girijā (Pārvatī) on the left lap
• वामाङ्कगिरिजम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाम + अङ्क + गिरिज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘वामाङ्के गिरिजा यस्य’ इति तत्पुरुषसमासः; विशेषणम्

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate
• ध्यायेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सिद्धैः: by the Siddhas
• सिद्धैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• स्तुतम्: praised
• स्तुतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्तु (धातु) → स्तुत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘देवम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• मुहुः: again and again
• मुहुः: Avyaya (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Avyaya (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय/तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘तस्मात्/तदनन्तरम्’

• पूर्वम्: first/beforehand
• पूर्वम्: Avyaya (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘पूर्वकाले’

• प्रदद्यात्: should offer
• प्रदद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• पाद्यार्घम्: water for feet and offering (arghya)
• पाद्यार्घम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद्य + अर्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः (पाद्यं च अर्घं च)

• शम्भवे: to Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भवे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (nṛpa) explicitly addressed

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A worshipper before a liṅga altar visualizes Umāmaheśvara—Śiva seated with Pārvatī at his left—while Siddhas hover in the upper space singing hymns; the priest extends a vessel to offer pādya and arghya.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Girijā (Pārvatī)
• Siddhas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion unites contemplation (dhyāna) with reverent service (upacāra), honoring Śiva as the divine householder with Girijā.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is stated; the emphasis is on the standard etiquette of Śiva worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

After meditating on Śiva with Girijā, first offer pādya (water for the feet) and arghya (honor-offering) to Śambhu.