Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

अञ्जनेन समालेख्य चन्दनेन विलेपितम् । बिल्वपत्रकृतां मालां तस्यै देव्यै निवेदयेत्

Transliteration

añjanena samālekhya candanena vilepitam | bilvapatrakṛtāṃ mālāṃ tasyai devyai nivedayet

Translation

Nachdem man (das Bild) mit Kajal geschmückt und mit Sandelholzpaste gesalbt hat, soll man jener Göttin eine Girlande darbringen, die aus Bilva-Blättern gefertigt ist.

Word by Word

• añjanena: with collyrium/black pigment
• añjanena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: añjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• samālekhya: having inscribed/drawn
• samālekhya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + ā + likh (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having drawn/inscribed’

• candanena: with sandalwood paste
• candanena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: candana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• vilepitam: smeared/anointed
• vilepitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi + lip (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• bilva-patra-kṛtām: made of bilva leaves
• bilva-patra-kṛtām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bilva + patra + kṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष ‘बिल्वपत्रैः कृता’

• mālām: garland
• mālām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mālā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• tasyai: to her
• tasyai: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• devyai: to the goddess
• devyai: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• nivedayet: should offer/present
• nivedayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni + vid (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa Māhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Yogeśvarī-sthāna (Prabhāsa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Priests anoint the Goddess’ image with sandal paste, outline the eyes with collyrium, and place a fresh green bilva-leaf garland upon her, with lamps and incense in the sanctum.

Characters & Entities

• Devī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion becomes complete when inner reverence is expressed through pure, traditional offerings made with care and restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Prabhāsakṣetra), praised in the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa’s Prabhāsa Māhātmya section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Devī-pūjā using añjana (kohl) adornment, sandalwood anointing, and a bilva-leaf garland offering.