Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

पुलस्त्य उवाच । एवमुक्त्वा तु सा वाणी विरराम महीपते । ततस्ते मुनयः सर्वे गंधधूपानुलेपनैः

Transliteration

pulastya uvāca | evamuktvā tu sā vāṇī virarāma mahīpate | tataste munayaḥ sarve gaṃdhadhūpānulepanaiḥ

Translation

Pulastya sprach: „O König, nachdem jene Stimme so gesprochen hatte, verstummte sie. Dann traten all jene Weisen heran mit Wohlgerüchen, Weihrauch und duftenden Salben…“

Word by Word

• पुलस्त्यः: Pulastya
• पुलस्त्यः: कर्ता (Speaker/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुलस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Said)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (3rd person singular)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: thus)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund: having said)

• तु: then; indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• सा: she; that (f.)
• सा: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• वाणी: speech; voice
• वाणी: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• विरराम: ceased; fell silent
• विरराम: क्रिया (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद (3rd person singular)

• महीपते: O king
• महीपते: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन (Vocative, Singular)

• ततः: then
• ततः: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/हेतुवाचक (indeclinable: then/thereupon)

• ते: they
• ते: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: विशेषण (Qualifier of मुनयः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• गन्धधूपानुलेपनैः: with fragrances, incense, and unguents
• गन्धधूपानुलेपनैः: करण (Instrument: with perfumes, incense, and unguents)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + धूप (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुलेपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (गन्धश्च धूपश्च अनुलेपनं च) (Neuter, Instrumental, Plural)

Speaker

Pulastya

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahi-pati / nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of sages, just after an unseen voice falls silent, step forward holding incense burners, perfume vessels, and fragrant unguents, preparing to honor a liṅga in a forested sacred precinct.

Characters & Entities

• Pulastya
• king (listener)
• munis/ṛṣis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Revelation should be followed by reverent action—devotion expressed through proper worship and offerings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Koṭīśvara-liṅga setting within Arbuda, where sages prepare to worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga worship with upacāras such as gandha (perfume), dhūpa (incense), and anulepana (unguents).