Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

भूम्यां निपतितं यच्च गंधपुष्पादिकं महत् । समर्पितं शिवायेति कितवेनाप्यबुद्धिना

Transliteration

bhūmyāṃ nipatitaṃ yacca gaṃdhapuṣpādikaṃ mahat | samarpitaṃ śivāyeti kitavenāpyabuddhinā

Translation

Selbst jene reichliche Gabe von Duftstoffen, Blumen und dergleichen, die zu Boden fiel — obgleich ein Spieler, von geringem Verständnis, sie mit den Worten „(Dies) sei Śiva dargebracht“ darbrachte — wurde als Opfergabe an Śiva angenommen.

Word by Word

• bhūmyām: on the ground
• bhūmyām: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• nipatitam: fallen
• nipatitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni-√pat (पत् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (यत्)

• yat: which / whatever
• yat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• gandha-puṣpa-ādikam: perfumes, flowers, etc.
• gandha-puṣpa-ādikam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + ka (प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (‘गन्धाश्च पुष्पाणि च’ + ‘आदि’); ‘आदिक’ = etc.

• mahat: great / abundant
• mahat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गन्धपुष्पादिकम्)

• samarpitam: was offered
• samarpitam: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√arp (अर्प् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि भावः (‘offered’)

• śivāya: to Śiva
• śivāya: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इति-निपात (quotative particle)

• kitavena: by the gambler
• kitavena: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kitava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/अपि-निपात (‘even/also’)

• abuddhinā: with ignorance / unintentionally
• abuddhinā: Karaṇa (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष-भावः (‘बुद्धिरहितत्वेन’ = with lack of understanding)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (contextual attribution within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim-audience (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Scattered perfumes and flowers on the earth glow subtly as if consecrated; an unseen Śiva-acceptance is implied, with the gambler’s lips forming ‘śivāya’.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even imperfect people gain merit when they sincerely dedicate an offering to Śiva; devotion can sanctify a small act.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra (Kedārakhaṇḍa’s sacred geography, associated with Kedārnātha and Śaiva pilgrimage merit).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering gandha (fragrance) and puṣpa (flowers) to Śiva with a dedicatory intention (“śivāya”).