Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

एवं संस्नाप्य विधिवद्वासांसि परिधापयेत् । युवा सुवासा मंत्रेण सूक्ष्माणि विविधानि च

Transliteration

evaṃ saṃsnāpya vidhivadvāsāṃsi paridhāpayet | yuvā suvāsā maṃtreṇa sūkṣmāṇi vividhāni ca

Translation

Thus, having bathed (the deity/the installed form) according to rule, one should clothe it with garments. With the mantra “Yuvā Suvāsā”, one should also offer fine and varied textiles.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb of manner)

• संस्नाप्य: having bathed/washed (him)
• संस्नाप्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया; धातुः—स्ना (स्नाने) उपसर्गः—सम्

• विधिवत्: according to the prescribed rule
• विधिवत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम्—'विधिना यथा' (according to rule)

• वासांसि: garments
• वासांसि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• परिधापयेत्: should cause (him) to put on / should clothe
• परिधापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√धा (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिजन्त (causative)

• युवा: the young man
• युवा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुवासा: well-clad
• सुवासा: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/उपपद) + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—'सु वासांसि यस्य सः'

• मंत्रेण: with a mantra
• मंत्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• सूक्ष्माणि: fine, subtle (garments)
• सूक्ष्माणि: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (वासांसि इत्यस्य)

• विविधानि: various
• विविधानि: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (वासांसि इत्यस्य)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Following abhiṣeka, priests gently drape fresh garments over the consecrated form; folded fine cloths are stacked nearby; the mantra is chanted as the deity is adorned, with lamps and flowers completing the upacāra.

Characters & Entities

• Yuvā Suvāsā (mantra)
• Vastra-dāna/offerings

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional care—bathing and clothing the sacred form—expresses reverence and completes the rite with dignity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The focus is procedural within a tīrtha context; a specific place-name is not present in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

After abhiṣeka/snāpana, offer garments—especially fine and varied cloth—while reciting ‘Yuvā Suvāsā’.