Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

वलित्रयेण विलसद्धेमकांचीगुणान्विताम् । रक्तमाल्यांबरधरां दिव्यचंदनच र्चिताम्

Transliteration

valitrayeṇa vilasaddhemakāṃcīguṇānvitām | raktamālyāṃbaradharāṃ divyacaṃdanaca rcitām

Translation

Adorned with the three graceful folds and a shining golden girdle-string, she wore red garlands and red garments, and was anointed with divine sandalpaste.

Word by Word

• वलि-त्रयेण: with the three folds (of the waist)
• वलि-त्रयेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वलि (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; ‘त्रयेण’ इति करणम् (instr. sg.)

• विलसत्-हेम-काञ्ची-गुण-अन्विताम्: endowed with a shining golden girdle-string
• विलसत्-हेम-काञ्ची-गुण-अन्विताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विलसत् (कृदन्त; √लस् शतृ) + हेम (प्रातिपदिक) + काञ्ची (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त; √इ (धातु) क्त; ‘युक्त’ अर्थे)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (fem. acc. sg.)

• रक्त-माल्य-अम्बर-धराम्: wearing red garlands and garments
• रक्त-माल्य-अम्बर-धराम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + माल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (कृदन्त; √धृ (धातु) अच्/ण्वुल्-प्राय; ‘धारक’ अर्थे)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (fem. acc. sg.)

• दिव्य-चन्दन-चर्चिताम्: anointed with divine sandalwood
• दिव्य-चन्दन-चर्चिताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक) + चर्चित (कृदन्त; √चर्च् (धातु) क्त; ‘लेपित/अर्चित’ अर्थे)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (fem. acc. sg.)

Speaker

Narratorial/ritual instruction voice within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa (context: dhyāna-śloka sequence)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī adorned with a golden waist-girdle string and three graceful abdominal folds; draped in red garments and red garlands; body anointed with luminous sandalpaste, giving a cool sheen against warm reds and gold.

Characters & Entities

• Devī (Śivā/Pārvatī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

External beauty (alankāra) is used as a sacred aid to inner concentration, turning sense-perception into devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the verse supports ritual visualization and worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It implies offerings like sandalpaste, garlands, and garments as standard pūjā-upacāras.