Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

गन्धमाल्यैस्तथा धूपैस्ततः सम्पूजयेच्छिवम् । अनेन विधिनाभ्यर्च्य शिखितीर्थे महेश्वरम्

Transliteration

gandhamālyaistathā dhūpaistataḥ sampūjayecchivam | anena vidhinābhyarcya śikhitīrthe maheśvaram

Translation

Then one should worship Śiva fully with fragrances, garlands, and incense. Having thus adored Maheśvara at Śikhitīrtha according to this rite, the devotee attains the promised fruit.

Word by Word

• गन्धमाल्यैः: with perfumes and garlands
• गन्धमाल्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध + माल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (गन्धाश्च माल्यानि च)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• धूपैः: with incense
• धूपैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequencer/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: thereafter/from that)

• सम्पूजयेत्: should worship fully
• सम्पूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• अनेन: by this
• अनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विधिना: by the prescribed method
• विधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकर्म (having worshipped)

• शिखितीर्थे: at Śikhi-tīrtha
• शिखितीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखि + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिखिनः तीर्थम्)

• महेश्वरम्: Mahēśvara (the great Lord)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śikhitīrtha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Śikhitīrtha, a devotee performs Śiva-pūjā: applying fragrant paste, placing garlands, and waving incense before a liṅga or Śiva icon, with the river nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Maheśvara
• Śikhitīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion becomes complete when inner reverence is expressed through disciplined worship and proper offerings to Śiva at a sanctified site.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śikhitīrtha, where Maheśvara is to be worshipped by prescribed pūjā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Śiva-pūjā using gandha (fragrance), mālya (garlands), and dhūpa (incense) according to the stated method.