Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

धूपितं धूपवर्त्तीभिः कुंकुमोदकसेचितम् । वंशवीणामृदंगैश्च गोमुखैर्मुखवादनैः

Transliteration

dhūpitaṃ dhūpavarttībhiḥ kuṃkumodakasecitam | vaṃśavīṇāmṛdaṃgaiśca gomukhairmukhavādanaiḥ

Translation

It was perfumed with incense-wicks and sprinkled with kunkuma-scented water; it resounded with flutes, vīṇās, and mṛdaṅgas, along with gomukha horns and other wind-instruments.

Word by Word

• धूपितम्: fumigated/incensed
• धूपितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म) / Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धूपित (कृदन्त; √धूप् (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त)

• धूपवर्त्तीभिः: with incense sticks/wicks
• धूपवर्त्तीभिः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्त्ती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (वर्त्ती), तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘धूपस्य वर्त्तीभिः’ (with incense-wicks)

• कुंकुमोदकसेचितम्: sprinkled with saffron-water
• कुंकुमोदकसेचितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म) / Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुङ्कुम (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक) + सेचित (कृदन्त; √सिच् (धातु) उपसर्ग-सम्/नि?; here simple √सिच्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘कुङ्कुमोदकेन सेचितम्’ (sprinkled with saffron-water)

• वंशवीणामृदंगैः: with flutes, vīṇās, and drums
• वंशवीणामृदंगैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक) + वीणा (प्रातिपदिक) + मृदङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (इतरेतर): ‘वंशश्च वीणा च मृदङ्गश्च’ (flutes, lutes, and drums)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• गोमुखैः: with gomukha instruments
• गोमुखैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; वाद्यविशेष (a kind of wind instrument)

• मुखवादनैः: with mouth-blown instruments
• मुखवादनैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक) + वादन (प्रातिपदिक; from √वद्/√वाद्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘मुखेन वादनानि’ / ‘मुखवाद्यैः’ (mouth-blown instruments)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual attribution within Māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sanctified temple precinct in Prabhāsa: incense-wicks smoking in curls, attendants sprinkling saffron-scented water, and musicians playing flute, vīṇā, mṛdaṅga, and gomukha horns as the air shimmers with fragrance.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worship engages all senses—fragrance, purity, and sacred sound together elevate the devotee toward Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, described as a fully consecrated ritual space filled with incense and devotional music.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering dhūpa (incense), sprinkling scented/kuṅkuma water, and performing devotional music (vādyas) during worship.