Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 92

Devanagari script

समालिलिंप देवेशं सुगंधोद्वर्तनान्यनु । गीतनृत्योपहारैश्च श्रुत्युक्तस्तुतिभिर्बहुः

Transliteration

samāliliṃpa deveśaṃ sugaṃdhodvartanānyanu | gītanṛtyopahāraiśca śrutyuktastutibhirbahuḥ

Translation

Then he carefully smeared the Lord of gods with fragrant unguents and powders; he also offered songs and dances, and praised Him greatly with hymns taught by the Vedas.

Word by Word

• सम्-आ-लिलिम्प: (he) anointed thoroughly
• सम्-आ-लिलिम्प: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः सम्+आ

• देवेशम्: the Lord of gods
• देवेशम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेश (प्रातिपदिक) [देव + ईश]
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सुगन्ध-उद्वर्तनानि: fragrant unguents/scrubs
• सुगन्ध-उद्वर्तनानि: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुगन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्वर्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अनु: thereafter; following that
• अनु: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपपद/क्रियाविशेषण (postposition/adverb: 'after, following')

• गीत-नृत्य-उपहारैः: with offerings of song and dance
• गीत-नृत्य-उपहारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत (प्रातिपदिक) + नृत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + उपहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• श्रुति-उक्त-स्तुतिभिः: with praises stated in the Vedas
• श्रुति-उक्त-स्तुतिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त, √वच्) + स्तुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), तृतीया, बहुवचन

• बहुः: much; many (in abundance)
• बहुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying implied subject)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kshetra (Viśveśvara worship sphere)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: After anointing Śiva with fragrant powders, devotees perform devotional music and dance in the temple courtyard; Vedic chanters recite hymns while lamps flicker and incense rises.

Characters & Entities

• Deveśa (Śiva)
• Śukra
• Śruti (Veda)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True worship unites ritual service with heartfelt praise—devotional arts and Vedic stuti together honor the Divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, where Śiva is worshipped through both formal upacāras and celebratory devotion (song, dance, hymn).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Udvartana/anointing with fragrant substances, plus gīta-nṛtya offerings and Veda-aligned hymns.