Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

रक्तचंदनधूपाभ्यां रक्तपुष्पैस्तथैव च । अभिशस्तस्य पत्रं च बध्नीयाच्चैव मूर्धनि

Transliteration

raktacaṃdanadhūpābhyāṃ raktapuṣpaistathaiva ca | abhiśastasya patraṃ ca badhnīyāccaiva mūrdhani

Translation

Mit rotem Sandelholz und Weihrauch sowie mit roten Blumen soll man auch ein Blatt auf den Scheitel des Angeklagten/Bedrängten (abhiśasta) binden.

Word by Word

• rakta-caṃdana-dhūpābhyām: with red sandalwood and incense
• rakta-caṃdana-dhūpābhyām: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakta (प्रातिपदिक) + caṃdana (प्रातिपदिक) + dhūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (rakta-caṃdana and dhūpa)

• rakta-puṣpaiḥ: with red flowers
• rakta-puṣpaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakta (प्रातिपदिक) + puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (red flowers)

• tathā: thus, likewise
• tathā: Kriya-visheshana (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/so)

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction 'and')

• abhiśastasya: of the accursed (person)
• abhiśastasya: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhiśasta (शंस् धातु, क्त; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेष्यवत् (of the accursed/condemned person)

• patram: a leaf
• patram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• badhnīyāt: should bind
• badhnīyāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bandh (बन्ध् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (संभावना/आदेश), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'should bind'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात

• mūrdhani: on the head
• mūrdhani: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrdhan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A priest applies red sandal and offers incense and red flowers, then ties a leaf on the head of an afflicted/accused person seated before the altar.

Characters & Entities

• Rakta-candana (red sandalwood)
• Dhūpa (incense)
• Abhiśasta (ritual category/person)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purificatory rites use auspicious substances (red sandal, incense, flowers) to invoke clarity and remove ritual pollution.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is focused on rite-materials and the subject of the rite.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer red sandalwood, incense, and red flowers, and tie a leaf on the head of the abhiśasta person.