Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 145

Devanagari script

पुष्पाणामपि भद्रं ते सुगंधानामपि ध्रुवम् । सखे मया प्रणम्योच्चैः स प्रोक्तः शशिशेखरः

Transliteration

puṣpāṇāmapi bhadraṃ te sugaṃdhānāmapi dhruvam | sakhe mayā praṇamyoccaiḥ sa proktaḥ śaśiśekharaḥ

Translation

Selbst unter den Blumen ist die deine die glückverheißendste; selbst unter den duftenden Opfergaben ist die deine die höchste. O Freund—nachdem ich mich ehrfürchtig verneigt habe—verkünde ich so Śiva, den mondbekrönten Herrn.

Word by Word

• पुष्पाणाम्: of flowers
• पुष्पाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठीविभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• भद्रम्: auspiciousness/good (be it)
• भद्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अत्र आशीर्वादार्थे प्रथमा

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया/चतुर्थी-रूप (2nd/Acc. or 4th/Dat.), एकवचन; अत्र चतुर्थी (to you)

• सुगन्धानाम्: of fragrant (things)
• सुगन्धानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठीविभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (सुगन्धाः)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• ध्रुवम्: certain/indeed
• ध्रुवम्: Karta (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अत्र विधेय-विशेषण (predicative)

• सखे: O friend
• सखे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having bowed’

• उच्चैः: aloud/with a loud voice
• उच्चैः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उच्चैः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रोक्तः: was said/declared
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शशिशेखरः: Śaśiśekhara (Shiva, ‘moon-crested’)
• शशिशेखरः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशि + शेखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शशेः शेखरः)

Speaker

Narrator (devotional proclamation within the māhātmya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee bows and praises Śiva as Śaśiśekhara; the crescent moon gleams in Śiva’s matted hair, while fragrant offerings and bilva leaves are arranged before the liṅga.

Characters & Entities

• Śaśiśekhara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional praise (stuti) sanctifies offerings and centers the mind on Śiva’s iconic form, strengthening bhakti within tīrtha traditions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse functions as a general stuti within a tīrtha-māhātmya passage; no single site-name appears in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It implies reverent bowing (praṇāma) and offering of auspicious, fragrant items in Śiva worship.