Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

ग्रीवासूत्रकसिन्दूरैर्वासोभिः कञ्चुकैस्तथा । सुगन्धकुसुमैरर्च्य कुंकुमेन विलिप्य च

Transliteration

grīvāsūtrakasindūrairvāsobhiḥ kañcukaistathā | sugandhakusumairarcya kuṃkumena vilipya ca

Translation

One should worship (the Lord) with neck-ornaments and sindūra (vermilion), with garments and bodices; and, having offered fragrant flowers, one should also anoint (the deity) with kuṅkuma (saffron paste).

Word by Word

• grīvā-sūtraka-sindūraiḥ: with neck-threads (necklaces) and vermilion
• grīvā-sūtraka-sindūraiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grīvā (प्रातिपदिक) + sūtraka (प्रातिपदिक) + sindūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (समाहार/इतरेतर) ‘necklaces/threads and vermilion’; नपुंसक/पुंभावे बहुवचन-तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental, Plural

• vāsobhiḥ: with garments
• vāsobhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• kañcukaiḥ: with bodices/upper garments
• kañcukaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kañcuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• tathā: also/likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/क्रियाविशेषण (also/likewise)

• sugandha-kusumaiḥ: with fragrant flowers
• sugandha-kusumaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su-gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + kusuma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सुगन्धानि कुसुमानि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• arcya: having worshipped/adorned
• arcya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: arc (धातु) + ya (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वार्थक-अव्यय (absolutive) ‘having worshipped/adorned’

• kuṃkumena: with saffron/powder
• kuṃkumena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuṃkuma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• vilipya: having anointed
• vilipya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vi + lip (धातु) + ya (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वार्थक-अव्यय (absolutive) ‘having anointed/smeared’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa māhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Priests and devotees adorn the deity with a neck-ornament, apply vermilion and saffron paste, and offer fragrant blossoms; folded garments and bodice-like cloth offerings are arranged neatly before the shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Keśava
• Rukmiṇī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is expressed through reverent, auspicious offerings—beautifying the deity with purity, fragrance, and sacred adornment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, presented as a supreme Vaiṣṇava sacred geography within the Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa’s Dvārakā-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upacāras of pūjā: offering ornaments and garments, fragrant flowers, and anointing with kuṅkuma.