Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

संकल्पेन सदा कुर्यादभिषेकं नवांभसा । उपवेश्यासने शुद्धे शुभैर्गंधाक्षतैर्नवैः । वन्यैः पत्रैश्च कुसुमैर्धूपैर्दीपैश्च पूजयेत

Transliteration

saṃkalpena sadā kuryādabhiṣekaṃ navāṃbhasā | upaveśyāsane śuddhe śubhairgaṃdhākṣatairnavaiḥ | vanyaiḥ patraiśca kusumairdhūpairdīpaiśca pūjayeta

Translation

Having first made the solemn saṅkalpa, one should always perform the abhiṣeka with fresh water. Seating the Lord upon a pure seat, one should worship with auspicious fresh gandha and akṣata, with forest leaves and flowers, and with incense and lamps.

Word by Word

• संकल्पेन: with a resolve/intent
• संकल्पेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; should do

• अभिषेकम्: ablution/ritual bathing
• अभिषेकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिषेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• नव-अम्भसा: with fresh water
• नव-अम्भसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्भस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (अम्भस्), तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular; कर्मधारयः ‘नवम् अम्भः’

• उपवेश्य: having seated/placing (it/him)
• उपवेश्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उप-विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) ‘having seated/placing’

• आसने: on the seat
• आसने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• शुद्धे: pure/clean
• शुद्धे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; आसने इति विशेषणम्; Locative singular

• शुभैः: auspicious
• शुभैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (qualifying following items)

• गन्ध-अक्षतैः: with scented unbroken rice-grains
• गन्ध-अक्षतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘गन्धयुक्ताः अक्षताः’

• नवैः: fresh/new
• नवैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; गन्धाक्षतैः इति विशेषणम्; Instrumental plural

• वन्यैः: wild/forest-grown
• वन्यैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (qualifying leaves/flowers)

• पत्रैः: with leaves
• पत्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कुसुमैः: with flowers
• कुसुमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुसुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

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

• दीपैः: with lamps
• दीपैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पूजयेत: should worship
• पूजयेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; should worship

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (instructional narration within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Śiva shrine prepared for worship: a clean pedestal/āsana, kalasha of fresh water for abhiṣeka, bowls of sandal paste and akṣata, heaps of bilva/forest leaves and flowers, curling incense smoke and steady oil lamps.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (implicitly)
• Śaṅkara (implicitly)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-worship begins with inner intention (saṅkalpa) and is completed through purity and sincere offerings, even if they are simple and natural.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it teaches a general Śiva-pūjā method applicable across sacred places.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhiṣeka with fresh water, seating the deity on a pure āsana, and worship using gandha (sandal), akṣata (unbroken rice), leaves, flowers, incense, and lamps.