Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

पूजार्थं भक्तिकामार्थास्तद्रक्षणमकुर्वत । चंदनेन च दिव्येन पुष्पेण च सुगन्धिना

Transliteration

pūjārthaṃ bhaktikāmārthāstadrakṣaṇamakurvata | caṃdanena ca divyena puṣpeṇa ca sugandhinā

Translation

Pour le culte—par dévotion et désir de service—ils en assurèrent la garde, offrant une pâte divine de santal et des fleurs au doux parfum.

Word by Word

• पूजार्थम्: for worship
• पूजार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūjā-artha (प्रातिपदिक; पूजा + अर्थ)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverbial): ‘पूजायै अर्थम्’ = ‘for the sake of worship’

• भक्तिकामार्थाः: (they) having devotion and desire/purpose
• भक्तिकामार्थाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakti-kāma-artha (प्रातिपदिक; भक्ति + काम + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (itaretara): ‘भक्तिः च कामः च अर्थः च’ (having devotion, desire, and purpose)

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; ‘of it/that’ (governing ‘rakṣaṇam’)

• रक्षणम्: protection/guarding
• रक्षणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• अकुर्वत: they did/performed
• अकुर्वत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• चन्दनेन: with sandalwood
• चन्दनेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: candana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• दिव्येन: divine
• दिव्येन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘candana’)

• पुष्पेण: with a flower
• पुष्पेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सुगन्धिना: fragrant
• सुगन्धिना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sugandhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (instrumental singular form used adjectivally), तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘puṣpa’)

Speaker

Vyāsa (contextual narration; explicit speaker appears at Śloka 51)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees anoint the plaque with divine sandal paste and place fragrant blossoms, while others stand guard—worship and protection fused into one ritual tableau.

Characters & Entities

• Vāḍavāḥ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion expresses itself through careful guardianship of sacred trust and through humble offerings in worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is implied as the sacred setting where worship and protection of dharmic symbols generate merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā with divine sandalwood paste (candana) and fragrant flowers, alongside the vow to protect the sacred object.