Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

पञ्चामृतैः पञ्चगव्यैर्यक्षकर्दमकुङ्कुमैः । समालभेत देवेशं श्रीखण्डागुरुचन्दनैः

Transliteration

pañcāmṛtaiḥ pañcagavyairyakṣakardamakuṅkumaiḥ | samālabheta deveśaṃ śrīkhaṇḍāgurucandanaiḥ

Translation

Qu’on oigne le Seigneur des dieux avec les cinq nectars et les cinq produits de la vache, avec pâte parfumée et safran ; et avec santal précieux, agaru et chandana.

Word by Word

• पञ्चामृतैः: with the five nectars (pañcāmṛta)
• पञ्चामृतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (पञ्च अमृतानि)

• पञ्चगव्यैः: with the five cow-products
• पञ्चगव्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + गव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (पञ्च गव्यानि)

• यक्षकर्दमकुङ्कुमैः: with yakṣa-musk and saffron
• यक्षकर्दमकुङ्कुमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष + कर्दम + कुङ्कुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (यक्षकर्दमं च कुङ्कुमं च)

• समालभेत: should anoint/smear
• समालभेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• देवेशम्: the Lord of gods
• देवेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानाम् ईशः)

• श्रीखण्डागुरुचन्दनैः: with sandalwood-paste, agaru, and sandalwood
• श्रीखण्डागुरुचन्दनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीखण्ड + अगुरु + चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (श्रीखण्डं च अगुरु च चन्दनं च)

Speaker

Unspecified teacher (Revākhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra Śaiva-pūjā context

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Priests and devotees perform liṅga-abhiṣeka: streams of pañcāmṛta flow over a Śiva-liṅga, followed by fragrant sandal and aguru paste; saffron and kuṅkuma mark the altar; the air is thick with incense.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (as Deveśa in context of Śaiva arcana)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverent anointing (abhiṣeka/ālepa) with pure, auspicious substances is a direct expression of bhakti toward Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā Khaṇḍa’s pilgrimage context (Narmadā region) where Śaiva worship procedures are praised.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Anointing the deity with pañcāmṛta, pañcagavya, perfumed paste, kuṅkuma, śrīkhaṇḍa, agaru, and candana.