Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

संकल्पं प्रवदेत्तत्र पूजारंभे समाहितः । कृतांजलिपुटो भूत्वा चिंतयेद्धृदि शंकरम्

Transliteration

saṃkalpaṃ pravadettatra pūjāraṃbhe samāhitaḥ | kṛtāṃjalipuṭo bhūtvā ciṃtayeddhṛdi śaṃkaram

Translation

At the beginning of the worship, composed and attentive, one should declare the saṅkalpa; then, with palms joined in reverence, one should contemplate Śaṅkara within the heart.

Word by Word

• संकल्पम्: the resolve (saṅkalpa)
• संकल्पम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रवदेत्: should utter/declare
• प्रवदेत्: Kriyā (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb: there)

• पूजारम्भे: at the beginning of worship
• पूजारम्भे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा + आरम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—पूजायाः आरम्भः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• समाहितः: composed, attentive
• समाहितः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle) ‘समाहित’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (collected/attentive)

• कृताञ्जलिपुटः: with hands joined in añjali
• कृताञ्जलिपुटः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + अञ्जलि + पुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कृतः अञ्जलिपुटः यस्य सः (बहुव्रीहिसदृशार्थः), रूपतः तत्पुरुषसमास-समुच्चय (कृत + अञ्जलिपुट)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• चिन्तयेत्: should contemplate
• चिन्तयेत्: Kriyā (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara
• शंकरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Ritual instructor/narratorial voice within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the very start of worship, the devotee sits composed, recites saṅkalpa, then folds hands and meditates on Śaṅkara glowing within the heart.

Characters & Entities

• Saṅkalpa
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A clear intention (saṅkalpa) and inward contemplation are essential for dharmic worship, not mere outward ritual.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; it is a general instruction for Śiva pūjā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

State the saṅkalpa at the start of pūjā, join palms (añjali), and meditate on Śiva in the heart.