Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

गंधपुष्पोपहारैश्च यथोक्तैर्बलिविस्तरैः । श्वेतवस्त्रयुगच्छन्नं कलशं जलपूरितम्

Transliteration

gaṃdhapuṣpopahāraiśca yathoktairbalivistaraiḥ | śvetavastrayugacchannaṃ kalaśaṃ jalapūritam

Translation

Mit Opfergaben von Duft und Blumen und mit der vorgeschriebenen Ausbreitung der Bali-Gaben bereite man einen mit Wasser gefüllten Kalaśa, bedeckt mit einem Paar weißer Tücher.

Word by Word

• गन्धपुष्पोपहारैः: with offerings of fragrance and flowers
• गन्धपुष्पोपहारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध + पुष्प + उपहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• यथोक्तैः: as prescribed; as stated
• यथोक्तैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा + उक्त (वच् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (बलिविस्तरैः)

• बलिविस्तरैः: with the arrangements/spread of bali-offerings
• बलिविस्तरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि + विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• श्वेतवस्त्रयुगच्छन्नम्: covered with a pair of white cloths
• श्वेतवस्त्रयुगच्छन्नम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वेत + वस्त्र + युग + छन्न (छद् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (कलशम्)

• कलशम्: a pot; ritual vessel
• कलशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• जलपूरितम्: filled with water
• जलपूरितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जल + पूरित (पूर् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (कलशम्)

Speaker

Deductively: a Purāṇic narrator/instructor addressing a king (ritual manual style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa (broad setting)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: bhūpati (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Priests place fragrant flowers and sandal paste near the altar; bali portions arranged on leaves; a shining water-filled kalaśa wrapped with two white cloths stands ready as the ritual centerpiece.

Characters & Entities

• kalaśa
• bali (offerings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity, order, and prescribed procedure (vidhi) are themselves acts of devotion that stabilize the rite and its fruits.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Arbuda sacred landscape is the narrative setting, with ritual guidance framed as part of its dhārmic greatness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prepare a water-filled kalaśa covered in two white cloths, alongside gandha-puṣpa offerings and the prescribed bali arrangement.