Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

मूलस्थानं च देवेश संस्नाप्य प्रविलेपयेत् । पूजयिष्यति वस्त्राद्यैः स्वशक्त्या भूषणैस्तथा

Transliteration

mūlasthānaṃ ca deveśa saṃsnāpya pravilepayet | pūjayiṣyati vastrādyaiḥ svaśaktyā bhūṣaṇaistathā

Translation

O Herr der Götter! Nachdem man (die Gottheit) in Mūlasthāna gebadet hat, soll man sie salben und mit Duftstoffen bestreichen; und man soll sie mit Gewändern und anderen Gaben verehren, ebenso mit Schmuck nach eigener Kraft.

Word by Word

• mūlasthānam: the original place/primary seat
• mūlasthānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla-sthāna (प्रातिपदिक; मूल + स्थान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; accusative singular (object)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय; conjunction ‘and’

• deveśa: O Lord of gods
• deveśa: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deveśa (प्रातिपदिक; देव + ईश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; vocative singular (address)

• saṃsnāpya: having bathed (it)
• saṃsnāpya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial to main action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ-snā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having bathed/washed’

• pravilepayet: should anoint/smear
• pravilepayet: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-vi-lip (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd person singular optative

• pūjayiṣyati: will worship
• pūjayiṣyati: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pūj (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd person singular future

• vastrādyaiḥ: with garments and the like
• vastrādyaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vastra-ādi (प्रातिपदिक; वस्त्र + आदि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; instrumental plural (‘with garments etc.’)

• svaśaktyā: with one’s own ability/power
• svaśaktyā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva-śakti (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + शक्ति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental singular

• bhūṣaṇaiḥ: with ornaments
• bhūṣaṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; instrumental plural

• tathā: likewise/also
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; manner-adverb ‘thus/likewise’

Speaker

Devas (ritual instruction within the tīrtha-māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mūlasthāna

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Deveśa (vocative used within the instruction)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a sanctum: priest/pilgrim pours water/milk over the deity (abhiṣeka), then applies sandal paste and dresses the icon with cloth and ornaments.

Characters & Entities

• Mūlasthāna
• Deveśa (deity worshiped there)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True worship combines reverence with humility—offer according to your means, yet with full devotion and care.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mūlasthāna in the Dvārakā Māhātmya sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ritual bathing of the deity/site, anointing with unguents, and pūjā with garments and ornaments according to one’s ability.