Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

यक्षकर्दम इत्येष समस्तसुरवल्लभः । अनुलिप्याथ कुसुमैरर्चयेद्वच्मि तान्यपि

Transliteration

yakṣakardama ityeṣa samastasuravallabhaḥ | anulipyātha kusumairarcayedvacmi tānyapi

Translation

This paste called yakṣa-kardama is beloved of all the gods. After anointing (the deity), one should then worship with flowers; I shall also tell you those flowers.

Word by Word

• yakṣa-kardamaḥ: yakṣa-kardama (the paste)
• yakṣa-kardamaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yakṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + kardama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासः

• iti: thus/so called
• iti: Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-उक्त्यर्थक (quotative)

• eṣaḥ: this
• eṣaḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• samasta-sura-vallabhaḥ: beloved of all the gods
• samasta-sura-vallabhaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samasta (प्रातिपदिक) + sura (प्रातिपदिक) + vallabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (samastānāṃ surāṇāṃ vallabhaḥ)

• anulipya: having anointed/applied
• anulipya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu√lip (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/क्त्वान्त), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया: ‘anointing/having anointed’

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereupon)

• kusumaiḥ: with flowers
• kusumaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kusuma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• arcayet: should worship
• arcayet: Vidhi (Injunctive action/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arc (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• vacmi: I say
• vacmi: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• tāni: those (things)
• tāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि (also)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Disciple/querent (addressed earlier)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: After anointing the liṅga with dark fragrant yakṣa-kardama, the worshipper lifts a basket of fresh flowers; devas subtly appear in the background as luminous presences, indicating the paste is 'beloved of all gods'.

Characters & Entities

• Yakṣa-kardama
• Sura (devas)
• Arcana (worship)
• Kusuma (flowers)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right sequence in worship—anointing followed by floral offering—cultivates reverence and completeness in devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader glorification is of dharma-practice in Kāśī as taught in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Apply yakṣa-kardama as unguent, then perform flower-arcana; the next verses enumerate suitable flowers.