Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

पूर्वजन्मनि तुष्टोऽहं घृतकंबलपूजया । प्रयच्छाम्यस्मि त राज्यमधुनाभिमतं वृणु

Transliteration

pūrvajanmani tuṣṭo'haṃ ghṛtakaṃbalapūjayā | prayacchāmyasmi ta rājyamadhunābhimataṃ vṛṇu

Translation

In deiner früheren Geburt war ich durch deine Verehrung im Ritus des ghṛta-kambala erfreut. Darum gewähre ich dir die Herrschaft; wähle nun die Gabe, die du begehrst.

Word by Word

• पूर्वजन्मनि: in a former birth
• पूर्वजन्मनि: Adhikarana (Time locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पूर्वं जन्म); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन

• तुष्टः: pleased
• तुष्टः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष् (धातु) → तुष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; ‘अहम्’ इत्यस्य विधेय

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• घृतकंबलपूजया: by the worship of the ghee-blanket (rite)
• घृतकंबलपूजया: Karana (Instrument/Cause means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृतकंबल + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (घृतकंबलस्य पूजा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन

• प्रयच्छामि: I grant
• प्रयच्छामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); उत्तमपुरुष (1st person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अस्मि: am
• अस्मि: Kriya (Auxiliary/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद; सहायक क्रिया (auxiliary)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative); एकवचन

• राज्यम्: kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (now)

• अभिमतम्: desired
• अभिमतम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिमत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; ‘राज्यम्’ इति विशेषण

• वृणु: choose
• वृणु: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative); मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Śiva (Pārvatīpati)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ghṛta-kambala (liṅga worship with ghee covering)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devotee-king (jātismara)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, radiant and compassionate, addresses the devotee-king: ‘I was pleased in your former birth by ghṛta-kambala worship; I grant you sovereignty—choose a boon.’ The king stands with folded hands, awed.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Ghṛtakambala-pūjā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s grace responds to sincere worship; even a simple offering rite can culminate in protection, prosperity, and spiritual elevation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular site is named; the glorification centers on the rite (ghṛtakambala-pūjā) and its merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ghṛtakambala-pūjā—worship of the liṅga by covering/adorning it with ghṛta (ghee).