Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

विरूपो दुर्भगो यो वा त्रयोदश्यां समाहितः । यस्तं कुंकुमजैः पुष्पैः संपूजयति मानवः

Transliteration

virūpo durbhago yo vā trayodaśyāṃ samāhitaḥ | yastaṃ kuṃkumajaiḥ puṣpaiḥ saṃpūjayati mānavaḥ

Translation

Whether one is ill-formed or unfortunate—if, on Trayodaśī, he is composed, and a person worships that deity fully with flowers made fragrant by kuṅkuma,

Word by Word

• विरूपः: ugly/deformed
• विरूपः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• दुर्भगः: unfortunate/ill-fated
• दुर्भगः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्भग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-सर्वनाम

• वा: or/even if
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• त्रयोदश्याम्: on the thirteenth (lunar day)
• त्रयोदश्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रयोदशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• समाहितः: composed/attentive
• समाहितः: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+आ+धा (धातु) → समाहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (collected/intent)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-सर्वनाम

• तम्: him/that (deity)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कुंकुमजैः: with saffron-born (i.e., saffron-colored)
• कुंकुमजैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुङ्कुम + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; पञ्चमी/तत्पुरुषप्रायः (कुङ्कुमात् जातैः = born of saffron)

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

• संपूजयति: worships fully
• संपूजयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मानवः: a man/person
• मानवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Kārttikeya (Skanda) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas (continuing audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humble devotee, marked by misfortune or physical imperfection, stands composed before the deity, offering kuṅkuma-tinted fragrant blossoms; the deity’s presence radiates acceptance; attendants and onlookers soften in compassion.

Characters & Entities

• Trayodaśī
• Kuṅkuma
• Deity (Kāmeśvara/Smara context implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion with mental steadiness and proper offerings transforms one’s condition, turning lack into auspiciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Trayodaśī worship is situated in the same Nāgarakhaṇḍa tīrtha setting centered on Kāmeśvara/Smara’s shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

On Trayodaśī, worship the deity with concentration, offering kuṅkuma-associated flowers.