Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

पुनश्च धूपदीपादीनुपचारान्प्रकल्पेत् । नृत्यवादित्रगीतादीन्यथावत्परिकल्पयेत्

Transliteration

punaśca dhūpadīpādīnupacārānprakalpet | nṛtyavāditragītādīnyathāvatparikalpayet

Translation

Again, one should duly arrange the upacāras—incense, lamps, and the other offerings. One should also properly provide dance, instrumental music, and singing, in the prescribed manner.

Word by Word

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

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

• धूप-दीप-आदीन्: incense, lamps, and the like
• धूप-दीप-आदीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक) + दीप (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural; द्वन्द्व-समासः (धूपः + दीपः) ‘etc.’ (आदि)

• उपचारान्: services/attendances (ritual offerings)
• उपचारान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• प्रकल्पेत्: should arrange
• प्रकल्पेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-कल्प् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; should arrange

• नृत्य-वादित्र-गीत-आदीन्: dance, instrumental music, singing, etc.
• नृत्य-वादित्र-गीत-आदीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वादित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + गीत (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural; द्वन्द्व-समासः (नृत्य + वादित्र + गीत) ‘etc.’ (आदि)

• यथावत्: properly
• यथावत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: properly/as prescribed)

• परिकल्पयेत्: should arrange
• परिकल्पयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-कल्प् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; should arrange

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (instructional narration within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lit shrine with incense and lamps; in the mandapa, dancers perform while musicians play drums and strings, and singers render hymns before Śiva.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (implicitly)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is expressed not only through offerings but also through sacred arts—music and dance become forms of worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is indicated; it describes general pūjā practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform upacāras like incense and lamps, and include devotional dance, instruments, and singing in a proper manner.