Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

युक्तं मृगमदेनापि यः करोति विलेपनम् । द्वादश्यां देवदेवस्य रात्रौ जागरणे सदा

Transliteration

yuktaṃ mṛgamadenāpi yaḥ karoti vilepanam | dvādaśyāṃ devadevasya rātrau jāgaraṇe sadā

Translation

Wer die Salbe — selbst mit Moschus vermischt — in der Nacht der Dvādaśī aufträgt und dabei stets in der Nachtwache (jāgaraṇa) für den Herrn der Herren verweilt, erlangt großes Verdienst.

Word by Word

• युक्तम्: mixed/combined
• युक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; युज् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘मिश्रितम्/युक्तम्’

• मृगमदेन: with musk
• मृगमदेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृगमद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (particle: also/even)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम

• करोति: does / performs
• करोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• विलेपनम्: anointing/smearing (ointment)
• विलेपनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विलेपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• द्वादश्याम्: on Dvādaśī (12th lunar day)
• द्वादश्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तिथिवाचक

• देवदेवस्य: of the God of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-देव (प्रातिपदिक; घटकाः: देव + देव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (वैदिक/प्रयोगविशेष रूप)

• जागरणे: in the vigil
• जागरणे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time: always)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Dvārakā Māhātmya narrative style within Skanda Purāṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvija-s (brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Dvādaśī night vigil: devotees remain awake in a lamp-lit shrine, singing and reciting; a priest/devotee applies musk-mixed unguent to the Lord’s image while bells and conches sound softly.

Characters & Entities

• Deva-deva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steady wakeful devotion on sacred nights, supported by reverent offerings, intensifies the fruit of worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ritual teaching belongs to Dvārakā Māhātmya; Dvārakā is the implied sacred arena for such Dvādaśī observances.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

On Dvādaśī night, keep vigil and offer anointing (vilepana) using fragrant substances, including musk.