Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

निर्माल्यं शिरसा धार्य्यं त्वदीयं सादरं मया । तव दत्त्वा यदिष्टं तु भक्षणीयं सदा मया

Transliteration

nirmālyaṃ śirasā dhāryyaṃ tvadīyaṃ sādaraṃ mayā | tava dattvā yadiṣṭaṃ tu bhakṣaṇīyaṃ sadā mayā

Translation

With reverence I shall place upon my head Your nirmālya—the garlands and flowers offered to You. And whatever is dear to You, once offered to You, I shall always partake of as Your sanctified gift.

Word by Word

• निर्माल्यम्: (flower) remnants/garland remnants
• निर्माल्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्माल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (neut. nom./acc. sg.)

• शिरसा: with (my) head
• शिरसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (neut. instr. sg.)

• धार्यम्: to be worn/borne
• धार्यम्: Vidheya (Predicate complement/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धार्य (कृदन्त; √धृ धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्तव्यतार्थे (neut. nom./acc. sg.; to be borne)

• त्वदीयम्: belonging to you
• त्वदीयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वदीय (प्रातिपदिक; युष्मद्-सम्बन्धी)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-विशेषणम् (neut. nom./acc. sg.; possessive adjective)

• सादरम्: respectfully
• सादरम्: Kriyavisheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स + आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभूत-विशेषणम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (indecl. adverbial use: ‘respectfully’)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartrikarana (Agent-instrumental/कर्तृ-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (instr. sg.)

• तव: to you/your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (gen. sg.)

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया (having given)

• यत्: whatever/that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun; neut. nom./acc. sg.)

• इष्टम्: desired/approved
• इष्टम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट (कृदन्त; √इष्/√इच्छ् धातु से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृत् (क्त), विशेषणम् (neut. nom./acc. sg.; desired/approved)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (indecl.; particle ‘but/indeed’)

• भक्षणीयम्: to be eaten
• भक्षणीयम्: Vidheya (Predicate complement/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्षणीय (कृदन्त; √भक्ष् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्तव्यतार्थे (neut. nom./acc. sg.; fit to be eaten)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyavisheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (indecl.; adverb)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartrikarana (Agent-instrumental/कर्तृ-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (instr. sg.)

Speaker

Candraśarman (addressing Śrī Kṛṣṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The devotee bows and lifts Kṛṣṇa’s offered garland (nirmālya) to his head; priests hold flower baskets; a prasāda plate is extended; the sea-breeze of Dvārakā is suggested by fluttering flags atop the temple.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Nirmālya
• Prasāda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The devotee accepts the Lord’s remnants as sacred, expressing surrender and intimacy with divine grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, where honoring nirmālya and prasāda is praised as a devotional ideal.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Wearing the Lord’s nirmālya on the head and consuming what has been offered to Him as prasāda.