Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

तुलस्या कार्तिके पूजा भास्करस्य प्रकीर्तिता । नैवेद्ये चैव खंडाख्यं धूपं कौसुंभिकं नृप

Transliteration

tulasyā kārtike pūjā bhāskarasya prakīrtitā | naivedye caiva khaṃḍākhyaṃ dhūpaṃ kausuṃbhikaṃ nṛpa

Translation

In Kārttika, worship of Bhāskara (the Sun-Lord) with tulasī is proclaimed. And as the naivedya, O king, one should offer the sweet called “khaṇḍa” and incense made from safflower.

Word by Word

• तुलस्याः: of tulasī (holy basil)
• तुलस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुलसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Genitive, Singular)

• कार्तिके: in Kārttika
• कार्तिके: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative Singular; ‘in Kārttika month’)

• पूजा: worship
• पूजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nom., Singular)

• भास्करस्य: of Bhāskara (the Sun)
• भास्करस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भास्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Singular)

• प्रकीर्तिता: is proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तिता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √कीर्त्/√कीर् (धातु) ; प्रकीर्तित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘is proclaimed’ (Past passive participle)

• नैवेद्ये: in/for the food-offering
• नैवेद्ये: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis)

• खण्ड-आख्यम्: called ‘khaṇḍa’
• खण्ड-आख्यम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √ख्या ‘named’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; ‘named X’)

• धूपम्: incense
• धूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular)

• कौसुम्भिकम्: made of safflower (kusumbha)
• कौसुम्भिकम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौसुम्भिक (प्रातिपदिक; from कुसुम्भ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Vocative, Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kārttika Bhāskara-pūjā: tulasī sprigs and garlands offered before a radiant solar icon; a plate of khaṇḍa sweet; safflower-colored incense smoke; lamps suggesting Kārttika’s dīpa motif.

Characters & Entities

• Bhāskara
• Kārttika

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Seasonal (monthly) discipline in worship refines devotion and aligns the devotee with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader passage is within a tīrtha-glorification setting, while this verse focuses on Kārttika-month ritual items.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

In Kārttika: worship Bhāskara with tulasī; offer ‘khaṇḍa’ as naivedya and safflower-based incense.