Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

यच्चात्मनः प्रियं वस्तु गन्धपुष्पाक्षतादिकम् । निवेद्य शंभवे नित्यमुपायुंक्त ततः स्वयम्

Transliteration

yaccātmanaḥ priyaṃ vastu gandhapuṣpākṣatādikam | nivedya śaṃbhave nityamupāyuṃkta tataḥ svayam

Translation

Whatever was dear to him—fragrance such as sandal, flowers, unbroken rice, and the like—he would offer daily to Śambhu, and only thereafter partake of it himself.

Word by Word

• yat: whatever
• yat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• ātmanaḥ: of himself
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• priyam: dear
• priyam: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• vastu: thing/object
• vastu: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vastu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• gandha-puṣpa-akṣata-ādikam: fragrance, flowers, rice-grains, etc.
• gandha-puṣpa-akṣata-ādikam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣata (प्रातिपदिक) + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (गन्धः च पुष्पाणि च अक्षताः च) + ‘आदिक’ (etc.)

• nivedya: having offered/presented
• nivedya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-vid (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• śaṃbhave: to Śambhu (Śiva)
• śaṃbhave: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• upāyuṃkta: used/partook (for himself)
• upāyuṃkta: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-yuj (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तरवाचक (thereafter)

• svayam: himself
• svayam: Karta-vishesana (Emphasis on agent)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मकर्तृवाचक (reflexive/emphatic)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya ṛṣis (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The devotee lays sandal paste, flowers, and akṣata before the liṅga; only after the offering does he take a small portion as prasāda, with humility.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Caṇḍaka
• Śabara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dedicate what you love to the Divine first; sanctified enjoyment becomes dharmic and devotion-centered.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is praised; the verse emphasizes household devotion and offering practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer dear items (gandha, flowers, akṣata, etc.) to Śiva daily, and only then use them oneself.