Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

वनस्पति रसो दिव्यो गंधाढ्यो गन्ध उत्तमः । आघ्रेयः सर्वदेवानां धूपोऽयं प्रतिगृह्यताम्

Transliteration

vanaspati raso divyo gaṃdhāḍhyo gandha uttamaḥ | āghreyaḥ sarvadevānāṃ dhūpo'yaṃ pratigṛhyatām

Translation

Dieser Weihrauch ist eine göttliche Essenz der Pflanzen, reich an Duft—ein erlesenes Parfum, würdig, von allen Göttern eingeatmet zu werden. Möge dieser Weihrauch angenommen werden.

Word by Word

• वनस्पति: forest-plant, tree
• वनस्पति: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनस्पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; ‘(this) plant/tree’ (as incense source)

• रसः: sap, essence
• रसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — nominative singular

• दिव्यः: divine
• दिव्यः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — nominative singular; qualifies ‘rasaḥ’

• गन्धाढ्यः: rich in fragrance
• गन्धाढ्यः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — nominative singular; समास: गन्ध-आढ्य (तत्पुरुष) ‘rich in fragrance’

• गन्धः: fragrance
• गन्धः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — nominative singular

• उत्तमः: excellent, best
• उत्तमः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — nominative singular; qualifies ‘gandhaḥ’

• आघ्रेयः: to be smelled, fragrant-worthy
• आघ्रेयः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + √घ्रा (धातु) + यत्/एय (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — nominative singular; ‘fit to be smelled’

• सर्वदेवानाम्: of all the gods
• सर्वदेवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — genitive plural; समास: सर्व-देव (तत्पुरुष) ‘of all the gods’

• धूपः: incense
• धूपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — nominative singular

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (Demonstrative/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — nominative singular; demonstrative ‘this’

• प्रतिगृह्यताम्: please accept
• प्रतिगृह्यताम्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person/मध्यमपुरुष), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद — ‘may you accept/receive’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; verse reads like an offering-formula)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close focus on a golden incense burner; thick, fragrant smoke rises like a garland; devas subtly present as luminous witnesses receiving the scent.

Characters & Entities

• Sarva-devas
• Dhūpa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual offerings are sanctified by intention and purity; incense symbolizes elevating sensory experience into reverence for the divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tirtha is named; the verse is a liturgical praise of dhūpa within the chapter’s māhātmya context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer dhūpa while reciting an acceptance-invocation: “May this incense be accepted,” acknowledging it as worthy for the devas.