Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

करवीरैर्मल्लिकाभिश्च चम्पकैस्तु विशेषतः । कमलैर्वारिसंभूतैः केतकीभिश्च पाटलैः

Transliteration

karavīrairmallikābhiśca campakaistu viśeṣataḥ | kamalairvārisaṃbhūtaiḥ ketakībhiśca pāṭalaiḥ

Translation

One should worship (the Goddess) with oleander, jasmine, and especially with campaka blossoms; and with lotuses born of the waters, with ketakī flowers, and with pāṭalā blooms.

Word by Word

• करवीरैः: with oleander flowers
• करवीरैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करवीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• मल्लिकाभिः: with jasmine flowers
• मल्लिकाभिः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल्लिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

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

• चम्पकैः: with campaka flowers
• चम्पकैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चम्पक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• तु: especially/indeed
• तु: Nipāta (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेष/विरोधार्थक (particle)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/प्राधान्यवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: “especially”)

• कमलैः: with lotuses
• कमलैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• वारिसंभूतैः: born in water
• वारिसंभूतैः: Karaṇa (Instrument - qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक) + संभूत (कृदन्त; भू धातु, सम्-उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वारिणः/वारौ संभूताः); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त

• केतकीभिः: with ketakī flowers
• केतकीभिः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केतकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

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

• पाटलैः: with pāṭala flowers
• पाटलैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाटल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Dvārakā Māhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A temple courtyard with baskets of oleander, jasmine, campaka, lotus, ketakī, and pāṭalā; priests string garlands while devotees approach the sanctum with orderly offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Rukmiṇī (implied)
• Dvārakā (section context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhakti becomes tangible through reverent offerings—beauty, purity, and devotion are expressed via flowers in worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, praised in the Dvārakā Māhātmya section of the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering specific flowers (karavīra, mallikā, campaka, lotus, ketakī, pāṭalā) as part of the deity’s pūjā.