Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

आरार्तिकं ततः कुर्याज्ज्वलन्तं भावनान्वितः । नीराजनं प्रकर्तव्यं कर्पूरेण विशेषतः

Transliteration

ārārtikaṃ tataḥ kuryājjvalantaṃ bhāvanānvitaḥ | nīrājanaṃ prakartavyaṃ karpūreṇa viśeṣataḥ

Translation

Dann soll man, von hingebungsvoller Betrachtung erfüllt, das lodernde Ārārtika vollziehen; und das Nīrājana ist darzubringen, besonders mit Kampfer.

Word by Word

• ārārtikam: ārati (waving of lights)
• ārārtikam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārārtika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• kuryāt: should do/perform
• kuryāt: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Optative, 3rd person, Singular

• jvalantam: burning, blazing
• jvalantam: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jval (धातु) + śatṛ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Present active participle used adjectivally

• bhāvanā-anvitaḥ: endowed with devotion/intent
• bhāvanā-anvitaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhāvanā (प्रातिपदिक) + anvita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भāvanayā anvitaḥ = endowed with devotion/mental attitude); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• nīrājanam: ceremonial waving of light (nirājana)
• nīrājanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nīrājana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular (here object of injunction)

• prakartavyam: should be performed
• prakartavyam: Vidhi (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra + kṛ (धातु) + tavya (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘to be done’

• karpūreṇa: with camphor
• karpūreṇa: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karpūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; procedural instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (Rukmiṇī ārati)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A blazing camphor flame is circled before Rukmiṇī’s image; the sanctum glows as devotees watch with folded hands.

Characters & Entities

• Rukmiṇī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Light-offering symbolizes inner clarity; devotion (bhāvanā) is essential, not merely the external rite.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, in the context of Rukmiṇī’s worship protocol.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform ārati and nīrājana, with special emphasis on camphor (karpūra).