Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

श्रीखण्डेन सुगन्धेन गुण्ठयेत महेश्वरम् । ततः सुगन्धपुष्पैश्च श्वेतैश्च नृपसत्तम

Transliteration

śrīkhaṇḍena sugandhena guṇṭhayeta maheśvaram | tataḥ sugandhapuṣpaiśca śvetaiśca nṛpasattama

Translation

Qu’on oigne Maheśvara d’une pâte de santal au parfum suave; puis qu’on l’honore de fleurs odorantes, blanches aussi, ô meilleur des rois.

Word by Word

• श्रीखण्डेन: with sandalwood (paste)
• श्रीखण्डेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीखण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular (by/with sandalwood paste)

• सुगन्धेन: with fragrance/perfume
• सुगन्धेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुगन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular (with fragrance/perfume)

• गुण्ठयेत: should anoint/smear
• गुण्ठयेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गुण्ठ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — should smear/anoint

• महेश्वरम्: Maheshvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: महा + ईश्वर (तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — अव्यय-प्रकार: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: then/thereafter)

• सुगन्धपुष्पैः: with fragrant flowers
• सुगन्धपुष्पैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुगन्ध + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: सुगन्धानि पुष्पाणि (कर्मधारय); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन — Instrumental plural

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

• श्वेतैः: with white (ones)
• श्वेतैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; विशेषण (qualifying ‘flowers’)

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

• नृपसत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: नृपाणां सत्तमः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Vocative singular (address)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) and Kapileśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpasattama (best of kings)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A kingly devotee anoints a Śiva-liṅga with sandalwood paste; attendants hold trays of white, fragrant flowers beside the Revā riverbank shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• śrīkhaṇḍa (sandalwood)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity and reverence in offerings—fragrance, whiteness, and careful upacāra—are portrayed as expressions of refined devotion to Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The worship protocol pertains to the Kāpila Tīrtha context within Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Apply sandalwood paste to Śiva and offer fragrant, white flowers.