Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

गन्धमाल्यैरलंकृत्य वस्त्रधूपादिवासितम् । भोजयेत्पायसान्नेन कृसरेणाथ भक्तितः

Transliteration

gandhamālyairalaṃkṛtya vastradhūpādivāsitam | bhojayetpāyasānnena kṛsareṇātha bhaktitaḥ

Translation

Les parant de parfums et de guirlandes, et offrant des vêtements imprégnés d’encens et autres senteurs, qu’on les nourrisse, avec dévotion, de riz au lait sucré et de kṛsara.

Word by Word

• गन्धमाल्यैः: with perfumes and garlands
• गन्धमाल्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध + माल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (गन्धैश्च माल्यैश्च)

• अलंकृत्य: having adorned
• अलंकृत्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अलम् + कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• वस्त्रधूपादिवासितम्: perfumed with clothes, incense, etc.
• वस्त्रधूपादिवासितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वस्त्र + धूप + आदि + वासित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः (वस्त्र-धूप-आदि-वासितम् = वस्त्रधूपादिभिः वासितम्), विशेषण

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative sense: cause to eat)

• पायसान्नेन: with sweet rice (milk-rice food)
• पायसान्नेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः (पायसात्मकम् अन्नम्)

• कृसरेण: with kṛsara (a rice/khichdi dish)
• कृसरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक-निपात (then/thereupon)

• भक्तितः: out of devotion/devoutly
• भक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa-sattama

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A decorated dining setting: brāhmaṇa couple seated on āsanas, garlanded; attendants present fragrant cloth, incense smoke curls; bowls of pāyasa and kṛsara are served with reverence.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional hospitality—honoring guests with dignity and offerings—functions as a sacred act that draws auspiciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the rite connected to the tīrtha introduced earlier; it does not specify the tīrtha’s name.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Adorn and honor the invited guests with garlands, perfumes, scented garments, and feed them pāyasa and kṛsara with devotion.