Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

संपूज्यो धर्मराजस्तु गन्धपुष्पानुलेपनैः । माषास्तिलाश्च दातव्या गोविंदः प्रीयतामिति

Transliteration

saṃpūjyo dharmarājastu gandhapuṣpānulepanaiḥ | māṣāstilāśca dātavyā goviṃdaḥ prīyatāmiti

Translation

Dharma-rāja (Yama) soll gebührend mit Düften, Blumen und Salbungen verehrt werden; und man gebe māṣa (schwarze Bohnen) und Sesam, indem man spricht: „Möge Govinda zufrieden sein.“

Word by Word

• संपूज्यः: to be duly worshipped
• संपूज्यः: Karya (Obligation/कार्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-पूज् (धातु) → संपूज्य (कृदन्त/यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive) — ‘पूजनीयः’

• धर्मराजः: Dharmarāja (Yama)
• धर्मराजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: indeed/and (emphatic)
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (particle)

• गन्धपुष्पानुलेपनैः: with perfumes, flowers, and unguents
• गन्धपुष्पानुलेपनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुलेपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• माषाः: black gram beans
• माषाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तिलाः: sesame seeds
• तिलाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• दातव्याः: should be given
• दातव्याः: Karya (Obligation/कार्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → दातव्य (कृदन्त/तव्यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive) — ‘to be given’

• गोविंदः: Govinda
• गोविंदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविंद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रीयताम्: may (he) be pleased
• प्रीयताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्री (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम् — आशीर्लिङ्गवत् प्रयोगः

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing instruction within the māhātmya narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānarta-tīrtha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A small shrine/altar to Dharmarāja Yama adorned with flowers and sandal paste; the devotee offers perfumes and unguents, then presents bowls of black gram and sesame as dāna while uttering a dedication to Govinda.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma-rāja (Yama)
• Govinda
• Tilā (sesame)
• Māṣa (black gram)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity and reverent worship, offered with the intention of pleasing Govinda, sanctify one’s actions and align them with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the ritual program connected to the Ānarta Tīrtha / Ānartīya Taḍāga of this chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship Yama with fragrances/flowers/unguents and give sesame and black gram, dedicating the act to Govinda.