Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

एकरात्रं त्रिरात्रं वा पञ्चरात्रं च सप्त वा । स्नापयेद्गंधतोयेन कुंकुमेन विलेपयेत्

Transliteration

ekarātraṃ trirātraṃ vā pañcarātraṃ ca sapta vā | snāpayedgaṃdhatoyena kuṃkumena vilepayet

Translation

For one night, or three nights, or five, or even seven, one should bathe the Deity with fragrant water and anoint Him with saffron.

Word by Word

• एकरात्रम्: for one night
• एकरात्रम्: Kala/Avadhi (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (एकं रात्रम्)

• त्रिरात्रम्: for three nights
• त्रिरात्रम्: Kala/Avadhi (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रीणि रात्राणि)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पबोधक (disjunctive particle)

• पञ्चरात्रम्: for five nights
• पञ्चरात्रम्: Kala/Avadhi (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (पञ्च रात्राणि)

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

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Kala/Avadhi (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; (अत्र) द्वितीया-अर्थे कालपरिमाणम् (seven [nights])

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पबोधक (disjunctive particle)

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (the deity)/cause to bathe
• स्नापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• गन्धतोयेन: with scented water
• गन्धतोयेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध + तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः (गन्धयुक्तं तोयम्)

• कुङ्कुमेन: with saffron
• कुङ्कुमेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुङ्कुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• विलेपयेत्: should anoint/smear
• विलेपयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + लिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: cause to smear/anoint)

Speaker

Kumāreśvara (Skanda/Kārttikeya) (contextual attribution)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kumāreśvara (temple context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devotee community addressed through the narrative voice; immediate addressee remains the interlocutor of the section

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nightly worship sequence across multiple nights: priests prepare fragrant water; abhiṣeka is poured; saffron paste is applied; lamps glow in the sanctum; devotees keep vigil.

Characters & Entities

• Gandhatoya (perfumed water)
• Kuṅkuma (saffron)
• Abhiṣeka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Disciplined, time-bound worship (vrata-like observance) intensifies devotion and ritual efficacy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Implied Kumāreśvara shrine context within the Mahī–Sāgara-saṅgama māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform abhiṣeka for 1/3/5/7 nights using fragrant water and apply kuṅkuma as an anointment.