Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

कुंकुमागरुकर्पूरैः पुष्पैर्गंधैः पृथग्विधैः । तदर्च्चा पूजयामासुः स च राजा दिनेदिने

Transliteration

kuṃkumāgarukarpūraiḥ puṣpairgaṃdhaiḥ pṛthagvidhaiḥ | tadarccā pūjayāmāsuḥ sa ca rājā dinedine

Translation

With kunkuma (saffron), agaru wood, camphor, flowers, and many kinds of fragrances, they performed arcana and worshipped that revered form; and the king too honored it day after day.

Word by Word

• कुंकुम: saffron
• कुंकुम: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुंकुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (stem member in compound)

• अगुरु: aloeswood
• अगुरु: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (stem member in compound)

• कर्पूरैः: with camphor
• कर्पूरैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्पूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• पुष्पैः: with flowers
• पुष्पैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• गंधैः: with fragrances
• गंधैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• पृथग्विधैः: of various kinds
• पृथग्विधैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथग् (अव्यय) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (गंधैः/पुष्पैः इत्यादीनाम्)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (stem member in compound)

• अर्च्चा: by worship/adoration
• अर्च्चा: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्चा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• पूजयामासुः: they worshipped
• पूजयामासुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिप्रास-परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दिने: on a day
• दिने: Adhikaraṇa (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन (reduplicated in idiom)

• दिने: day by day
• दिने: Adhikaraṇa (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (idiom: day by day)

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sanctum or shrine where devotees and a king offer saffron, agaru, camphor, flowers, and layered fragrances to a revered icon; attendants hold trays of offerings; lamps glow; incense smoke curls upward.

Characters & Entities

• King (Rājā)
• Arcā (worshipful form/icon)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steady daily worship with pure offerings expresses devotion and sustains the sanctity of the sacred setting.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is within a tīrtha-mahātmya narrative, but it emphasizes the practice of worship rather than naming the site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā/arcana using upacāras such as kumkuma, agaru, camphor, flowers, and assorted fragrances—performed daily.