Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 96

Devanagari script

घृतपक्वैः समीरचैः शुचिकर्पूरवासितैः । गर्भे शर्करया पूर्णैर्नेत्रानं दैः सुगंधिभिः

Transliteration

ghṛtapakvaiḥ samīracaiḥ śucikarpūravāsitaiḥ | garbhe śarkarayā pūrṇairnetrānaṃ daiḥ sugaṃdhibhiḥ

Translation

With sweets cooked in ghee—fragrant, pure, and perfumed with camphor—filled within with sugar, and with other such aromatic offerings, one should make gifts and offerings accordingly.

Word by Word

• घृतपक्वैः: with ghee-cooked (items)
• घृतपक्वैः: करणम् (Instrument/means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घृत + पक्व (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (घृतेन पक्वाः)

• समीरचैः: with samīraca sweets (a kind of confection)
• समीरचैः: करणम् (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समीरच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• शुचिकर्पूरवासितैः: with (items) perfumed with pure camphor
• शुचिकर्पूरवासितैः: करणम् (Instrument/means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि + कर्पूर + वासित (कृदन्त; √वास्/√वस् caus. ‘to perfume’)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; तत्पुरुषः (शुचिना कर्पूरेण वासिताः)

• गर्भे: inside; in the middle
• गर्भे: अधिकरणम् (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• शर्करया: with sugar
• शर्करया: करणम् (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्करा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पूर्णैः: filled
• पूर्णैः: करणम् (Instrument/means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त from √पॄ)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• नेत्राणाम्: of the eyes
• नेत्राणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• दैः: with substances (reading uncertain)
• दैः: करणम् (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द (प्रातिपदिक; पाठभेद/अस्पष्ट)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; रूपम् अनिश्चितम् (सम्भवतः ‘द्रव्यैः/दैः’ इत्यर्थे पाठदोषः)

• सुगन्धिभिः: with fragrant (items)
• सुगन्धिभिः: करणम् (Instrument/means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुगन्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue framework)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Māgha dāna/naivedya in Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close view of golden ghee-sweets arranged on a plate, wafting fragrance; camphor container nearby; sugar-filled confections offered to ascetics/brāhmaṇas after snāna.

Characters & Entities

• Karpūra (camphor)
• Ghṛta (ghee)
• Śarkarā (sugar)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional giving is refined by purity and intentionality—offerings should be clean, fragrant, and prepared with care.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa context points to Kāśī as the sacred sphere where such dāna supports pilgrimage merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prepare and offer/gift ghee-cooked, sugar-filled, camphor-scented confections and other fragrant items.