Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 80

Devanagari script

अर्चयेच्च यथा न्यायं गंधमाल्यैः पृथक्पृथक् । समाप्तौ नृप ग्रंथस्य वाचकस्यानुपूजनम्

Transliteration

arcayecca yathā nyāyaṃ gaṃdhamālyaiḥ pṛthakpṛthak | samāptau nṛpa graṃthasya vācakasyānupūjanam

Translation

Et qu’on l’honore selon la règle, en offrant séparément parfums et guirlandes. À l’achèvement du livre, ô Roi, qu’on rende aussi un hommage convenable au récitant.

Word by Word

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arc (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

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

• यथा: according to
• यथा: Manner (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/उपमानार्थक-अव्यय (as/according to)

• न्यायम्: proper rule
• न्यायम्: Manner (प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); क्रियाविशेषणवत् (according to rule)

• गन्धमाल्यैः: with perfumes and garlands
• गन्धमाल्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha + mālya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); द्वन्द्व-समासः (गन्धाश्च माल्यानि च)

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Manner (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pṛthak (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: separately)

• पृथक्: each separately
• पृथक्: Manner (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pṛthak (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्त-क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (reduplicated adverb for emphasis)

• समाप्तौ: at the completion
• समाप्तौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samāpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ग्रन्थस्य: of the text
• ग्रन्थस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grantha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• वाचकस्य: of the reciter
• वाचकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vācaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• अनुपूजनम्: subsequent honoring (additional worship)
• अनुपूजनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anu + pūjanam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nominative/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विधेय/कर्मरूपेण (to be done)

Speaker

Vyāsa

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: rājan (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees offer separate garlands and incense before a decorated manuscript/book; at the end, the reciter is honored with shawl/garland and respectful prostration.

Characters & Entities

• vācaka (reciter)
• granthapūjā (book worship)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes reverence—both for sacred texts and for the human transmitter of the tradition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the ritual framework around Dharmāraṇya māhātmya recitation rather than naming a separate tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform proper worship with fragrances and garlands, and at the end, honor the reciter/reader of the text.